CHAMPAIGN — Turnovers during Illinois training camp grind practice to a halt. Any interception or the less common fumble recovery is immediately end zone bound and celebrated en masse. Every last defensive player books it downfield, often weaving through offensive players at a standstill, to get in on the excitement of another takeaway.
No aspect is emphasized more in the Lovie Smith era at Illinois than that. The Illinois coach was even wearing one of his team's "3+" T-shirts during Wednesday's practice — as in force three or more turnovers per game.
That's the defensive identity Smith brought to Illinois from the NFL, when he had players like Charles Tillman creating havoc.