California dreamin' for Illini LB Steele
The last time Illinois played in the Rose Bowl, its roster teemed with California natives and/or recruits who played junior-college ball in the Golden State.
That group included starting quarterback Jack Trudeau, No. 2 rusher Dwight Beverly and top-two receivers David Williams and Tim Brewster.
Illinois' roster-building methods have changed a little bit during the 24 years between Rose Bowl appearances.
While then-coach Mike White recruited just as many Californians as local products, Illinois' roster this year doesn't feature a single California native.
The only Illini who can claim California roots is senior weak-side linebacker Antonio Steele, an Ohio native who spent his first two years at Long Beach City College.
(Coincidentally, his brother, Markus, played linebacker at Southern Cal in 1999 and 2000 before spending three years with the Dallas Cowboys).
"I've still got a lot of ties," Steele said. "I've got some guys who played at Long Beach with me who are very excited for me. So they're going to show up. Plus I've got my brother's wife and his kids and her family."
When Zook and his staff lured Steele to Illinois in January 2006, they didn't even bother trying to sell him on the possibility of finishing his college career where he started.
"It's like a dream come true," Steele said. "I never would have thought we'd have been in the Rose Bowl. I knew we were going to make a turnaround, but …"
Steele has been an important, if unsung, part of the rebuilding process.
He has started all 24 games in an Illinois uniform and been the team's No. 2 tackler both years. His first of two career interceptions came in the end zone during the third quarter of Illinois' upset of No. 1 Ohio State.
During his time with the Illini, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Steele has grown from a slight guy who got by on his speed into a man who sticks his nose wherever necessary.
"I came in here smaller than our safeties," Steele said. "Since I got here, I've gotten a lot tougher. In California, I didn't have to face no fullbacks.
"Coming into the Big Ten, I had to take on 240-pound fullbacks. I didn't know if I could do it, but Coach Lou (Hernandez) put some weight on me and I can hit the fullbacks now."
If the off-season goes as expected, Steele will bequeath his position to five-star freshman Martez Wilson.
"That's a freak right there," Steele said. "He's big, he's strong, he's fast. You name me how many linebackers you've seen play the gunner on punt (coverage)."
Today's plan: Illinois conducts its second of four practices at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Then the Illini get to gorge themselves at Lawry's Prime Rib in Beverly Hills.
The Lawry's Beef Bowl is such a long-running tradition, there's a picture on the restaurant's Web site of Dick Butkus accepting a huge slab of meat prior to the 1964 Rose Bowl.
If you're going … Illinois will have a pair of Butkus Award winners on-hand for festivities in Southern California.
On Sunday morning, 1995 All-American Kevin Hardy and Channel 5 sports anchor Ryan Baker will lead the Illini pep rally at Universal Studios.
On New Year's Eve, Dana Howard, the 1994 All-American middle linebacker, will be the grand marshal for the Illini Bash at Universal Studios.
For more information, check out www.rosebowlparty.com or www.fightingillini.com.
Loyola, Md. (5-6) at Illinois (7-4)
When: 8 p.m. at Assembly Hall
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: WIND 560-AM
The skinny: Illinois starts a crucial four-games-in-10-days homestand with an opponent that's tougher than the low-major name suggests. The Greyhounds will give the Illini a real game, not least because leading scorer Gerald Brown (20.3 ppg) and Illini point guard Chester Frazier are best friends from Baltimore. Notre Dame transfer Omari Isreal (8.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg) helps Loyola in the post. In the wake of the riveting win over Missouri on Saturday, Illini coach Bruce Weber is trying to bolster his team's confidence with statements such as, "We're two possessions from being in the Top 25." He's talking about the Miami and Arizona losses. By the way, CollegeRPI.com reports the Arizona loss just became worse from an RPI perspective. The NCAA has reclassified that loss at the United Center as a home game because Illinois controlled the tickets and handled the game management. The Illini now rank No. 76 nationally per CollegeRPI and No. 55 per Sagarin.