Gerry DiNardo has been with BTN from the very beginning, serving as college football analyst in the debut 2007 season.
During more than a decade on air, the former LSU, Vanderbilt and Indiana coach has seen really good Illinois teams (2008 Rose Bowl participants) and not-so-good (two-win squads in both 2012 and '17).
What's it going to be in '18?
"They look much better than last year," DiNardo said.
DiNardo, former Illini Howard Griffith and J Leman and play-by-play voice Dave Revsine visited Lovie Smith's team during Tuesday's practice.
Afterward, they interviewed coaches and players on a temporary set at Memorial Stadium.