As Illinois football fans bask in the glory of an unexpected renaissance -- at least unexpected this soon into Ron Zook's tenure -- it's easy to look around Memorial Stadium and figure out their favorites.
As the Illini wrapped up Saturday's 31-26 upset of fifth-ranked Wisconsin, some fans celebrated by twirling their homemade "MENDENHALL 4 HEISMAN" T-shirts in the air.
Far more brandished their No. 7 jerseys that honor quarterback Juice Williams, similar to the way everyone in the Assembly Hall seemed to have a Dee Brown No. 11 jersey a few years back.
Fifth-year senior linebacker J Leman, a Butkus Award candidate and a Champaign native, is such a tour de force in the community that he probably knew half of the 57,000 fans in the stands by name.
And if there isn't a lucrative black market for this already, soon there will be one to exploit those who want a No. 9 jersey to emulate freshman hero Arrelious Benn.
Meet some of the lesser-known Illini
10-10-2007, 11:14 AM
Linear Mode
