DANVILLE — Lovie Smith’s Illinois football program already was going to net plenty of rooting interest from the Danville area after Viking senior Julian Pearl signed with the program in December as an offensive lineman.
But after fellow Danville senior Caleb Griffin’s college selection Friday, those in Vermilion County now will have a double-dose of Vikings suiting up for the Illini.
Griffin announced he’d compete for Smith’s squad in a unique way, donning a pair of socks with the Illini logo prior to Friday’s boys’ basketball game between Danville and Peoria Manual. It got the job done, though, as the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Griffin will join Illinois as a preferred walk-on kicker.