Paul Klee: Good afternoon everyone, thanks for coming by the News-Gazette's weekly Illini sports chat. Bob and Klee take questions every Wednesday, and we appreciate your time. Bob's here, Klee's here, so fire away. Lots going on -- let's get started.

Tim J, rantoul, IL: Can fans still watch the Illini practice in Rantoul for free? And when is the best time to go there.

Bob Asmussen: Tim,

Camp Rantoul practices have always been open to the public and I expect it to stay that way. To me, the fan exposure helps the program both in filling Memorial Stadium and in showing how hard the players have to work to get ready for the season. And it is grueling.

Next weekend, we will publish a Camp Rantoul schedule. The first few days will be single sessions. After that, there will be double sessions every other day. There will be plenty of scrimmage situations and that is the best time to watch. I will let you know when those scrimmages are being held both in the newspaper and on IlliniHQ.com.

I like the morning workouts because the weather isnt quite as nasty. But if you want to interact with the players, Id suggest coming to the afternoon session. The players and coaches are very good about talking to the fans and signing autographs.

Jim, Peoria, IL.: Last week one of the questions dealt with the number of freshmen football players you thought might see action this fall. Does Illinois still play more true freshmen than say a program like Ohio State or Wisconsin? Jim

Bob Asmussen: Jim,

My first reaction is that Illinois plays more freshmen than Ohio State and about the same as Wisconsin. Remember, Ron Dayne and P.J. Hill were prominent running backs as freshmen with the Badgers. Barry Alvarez never hesitated to use a young guy and Bret Bielema has continued the pattern.

Because of the great recruiting year after year, Ohio State rarely finds itself needing to play freshmen. But that doesn't mean they won't get on the field. Ted Ginn Jr. was so good that he had to play. I'm guessing you will see the same situation with Terrelle Pryor. I've had many coaches say they expect the Buckeyes to use a "Pryor package" to get the superstar recruit on the field. Barring injury, he is playing.

I think as Illinois continues to upgrade its talent top to bottom, fewer freshmen will get on the field. But the great ones will always play.

The bottom line for coaches, Ron Zook and others, is that if you can help, you will get on the field. Some coaches are pushing for the elimination of redshirting and the addition of a fifth year of eligibility. That would take the guesswork out of redshirting and make it easier to justify using a player late in his freshman year. I've heard Ron Zook say that sometimes it clicks for a freshman six or seven games into his first season.

Mike Perry, Decatur, IL: Hello again Paul, How has Dominique Keller looked in pickup games thus far ? Where do you see him fitting in ? Have you heard if the Illini are the leader for Lenzelle Smith ? Thanks for taking my question.

Paul Klee: Mike- What's stood out to me about Dominique Keller this summer is that he seems to understand his role. It's not as a scorer, or someone who attempts a ton of shots. He's a dirty-work guy and, at least to this point, has focused his efforts on that type of role. If you look at his juco stats, that's a change from his last two seasons, when he was a scorer, so I'd imagine there will be times when that's tough for him to deal with. But the Illinois coaches were straightforward in Keller's recruitment, letting him know that's why they were recruiting him. He's a physical player, he's not a star, but he could fill a very important role for Illinois. Another thing about Dominique Keller: He spends a lot of time around Ubben and in the coaches offices. Not everyone does, but I see him over there all the time.

Where does he fit in? Certainly he'll be in the mix for a starting spot at the 4. If the season started today and I had to pick your starting power forward, though, it would be Billy Cole. That's just me, and that can change. Playing time at the 4 will be the most competitive battle in the rotation.

I'll check on Lenzelle Smith for you. Team NLP is playing in Orlando this week, and I know there will be an Illinois coach in attendance. Illinois might have to make a decision in that 2010 class -- do you take another guard/wing like Lenzelle Smith, or do you take a big man, which is what they need? In an ideal recruiting world for Illinois, they get both and have a four-member recruiting class in 2010.

I feel like Lenzelle Smith could be really good in college. He was arguably the most effective player at the Illinois team camp in early June. Kid's got a great motor, something you can't teach. Stanford, Florida, Virginia, those types of schools have also been in contact with Smith's AAU coach, Dickey Simpkins, is what Simpkins said last week.

Hope that helps.

Kyle, Elgin, IL: What's the latest with the renovation? What are they doing to the scoreboard these days?

Bob Asmussen: Kyle,

We are being told everything is on schedule. I drive by every day and it really is impressive. With more than a month left to go, it seems reasonable that it will be done on time.

The scoreboard will remain at the south end. Of course, when the horseshoe is redone, you might see the scoreboard moved back to the north.

At some point, the school needs to put giant scoreboards at both ends.

Kyle, Elgin, IL: When does Camp Rantoul start and is it open to the public?

Bob Asmussen: Kyle,

Camp Rantoul opens Aug. 4 and will run to Aug. 21. I will you more details next week in The News-Gazette and on IlliniHQ.com.

The practices have always been open to the public. After last season's success, I'm guessing you will see plenty of fans making their way to Camp Rantoul. If you see me, say hello.

Kyle, Elgin, IL: Heard that Zook and company may have been on vacation during July. With these recent big time commits, what have the coaches been up to and where have they been? Thanks again for the chats!

Bob Asmussen: Kyle,

The coaches took a couple of weeks away from the office, but that doesn't mean they stopped working. Recruiting doesn't stop for your time off, so if a player wanted to talk, the Illinois coaches made the time.

The coaching calendar has changed in recent years. It used to be the coaches could be gone all of July without any fear of getting behind. But with recruiting going all the time and the early start of training camp in August, the brea k is now closer to two weeks.

Some of the coaches take long vacations and others choose to stay close to home. They travel enough during the recruiting season that getting on another plane can sound more like work than play.

The coaches returned to the office for good this week. Their next break will be sometime next May.

Stevo, Santa Barbara, Cali: On the Monday radio show - hey, i listened on the podcast - great idea - you guys mentioned something about a web site starting in August. can you fill me in?

Paul Klee: Hi Stevo- IlliniHQ.com is an exciting development at the News-Gazette and WDWS. Preparations have been ongoing for several months, and we're days from its official launch on Aug. 1. What we've attempted to do is provide every imaginable avenue in which to cover Illinois athletics - in one central location: archives, daily chats, multiple new blogs, online video (recruits, tales from the road, player/coach interviews), podcasts, photos, etc. As our publisher, John Foreman, wrote on Sunday, it will also mark the first time the popular sports shows on WDWS will be available online. The best part: the most comprehensive Illinois sports coverage you'll find anywhere will be available free. We think IlliniHQ.com is a tremendous development for News-Gazette readers and Illinois fans. Throughout August and into the Illinois football season, we'll add different bells and whistles to improve the new Website. That's the short version. Thanks for the question.

Rick, Carson City, NV: A couple of our hoops guys haven't had much press lately, so I thought I'd ask if you could bring us up to speed on how Calvin Brock and Jeffrey Jordan are looking in practice, and what insights you have on their roles on the coming year's team.

Thanks again, as always!

Paul Klee: Jeff Jordan is a workhorse. I thought that was an overlooked and refreshing revelation last season -- how hard he worked from the moment he arrived on the Illinois campus. He looks like a tailback these days, with all of his time in the weightroom. He was one of the more physically developed freshmen when he entered the program, much of which is due to a life spent around a gym, as you might imagine.

"Jeff's a freak in the weightroom," Demetri McCamey said the other day.

I think Jeff Jordan can be a situational defender, similar to what he was last year, though somebody's minutes are bound to dip with the expected addition of Jamar Smith and the arrival of Alex Legion. As for Calvin Brock, he's on campus and I thought he played well in June. Haven't seen him as much in July. As was the case the last two seasons, it's tough to peg where Calvin Brock fits into the rotation. There are weeks (the start of the 2006-07 season) where he's very good, and there are weeks when he disappears. Illinois will add a pair of dynamic scorers, but defense is not a priority with Demetri McCamey, Jamar Smith and Alex Legion, so someone's going to have to defend. That's where a guy like Calvin Brock can carve a niche.

Hope that helps.

Jesse, St. Louis, Missouri: Bob, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the team's running backs as well as the possibility of landing either Ronnie Wingo or Oku. Also, any updates on the recruitment of Kraig Appleton? In Zook we trust.

Bob Asmussen: Jesse,

Before I get to your question, I want to mention that Illinois defensive end Will Davis has made the watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award. Davis has a chance for a big senior year, a bunch of award mentions and an early call from the NFL. It really couldn't happen to a nicer guy, one of my favorites in 13 years on the beat.

It looks like Illinois will go down to the wire with both David Oku and Ronnie Wingo. Look at their list of schools and you will see that Illinois is again in good company. Credit Ron Zook, Reggie Mitchell, Mike Locksley and the rest for continuing to seek the best.

There's a belief out there that if you get Oku, you can't get Wingo. And vice versa. I don't buy it. They are different players in size and style. And who knows what happens when they get to college. Maybe one of them finds a position that works better than running back. You never know.

The addition of Nathan Scheelhaase helped the Illini with Wingo. The two are friends and you can bet the quarterback will try to talk the running back into joining him.

I think Illinois has a good chance to get Kraig Appleton, but I don't know how much Terry Hawthorne will have to do with it. Terry said he will let Kraig make his own decision. I think Appleton wants to make his announcement at the U.S. Army game in early January.

Paul Klee: Getting back to the Lenzelle Smith question for Mike in Decatur, Illinois recruit Brandon Paul just said that Lenzelle Smith is, in fact, in Orlando with Team NLP and coach Dickey Simpkins. So you know Illinois will be in attendance.

Paul Klee: That's all for today, we're getting the boot. Thanks as always for the questions - look forward to seeing you back here next week. Coming up in the N-G is an Illinois basketball recruiting feature on Sunday, and Bob will be in Chicago at Big Ten media days on Thurday and Friday, with Bob's Blitz, a full page of UI football coverage, on Sunday.

See you next week.