If everything goes according to plan, Jeff George Jr. will be Illinois' third-string quarterback in the 2017 season.
But this spring, at least, George is getting as much work and focus under center as his famous father once did. Such is the current state of the Illini, who have only eight scholarship seniors and are razor thin on the depth chart because of some key injuries. As head coach Lovie Smith said last month, the team has only had enough personnel to field "two good units" this spring.
As drills start to wind down -- Illinois will hold an open workout on Saturday in lieu of a spring game and then hold three more practices next week -- the coaching staff is trying to make the most out of what's on hand.