After three-plus decades as a high school coach, not much surprises Rockford Auburn’s Dan Appino.
But Lovie Smith managed to jolt him.
During a high school coaching clinic in the spring, Smith put his goals for the 2016 Illini on a television screen.
“Everybody looked around at each other and said, ‘Wow. If they can do that, it will be something,’ ” Appino said.
What are the goals?
No. 1: Beat Northwestern. That makes sense. The Wildcats kept Illinois out of a bowl in 2015.
No. 2: Win all seven home games. With North Carolina, Michigan State and Minnesota coming to campus, it is ambitious, but a necessary step to .