CHAMPAIGN — Bob Ligashesky wasn’t budging.
What the Illinois football team will look like this fall under Lovie Smith is an ongoing process. A process, too, in which Ligashesky, Smith’s new special teams coordinator, wouldn’t divulge who was in the mix to return punts and kicks this season for the Illini at the halfway mark of spring practices.
Replacing V’Angelo Bentley, the school’s all-time leader in kickoff- return yardage with 1,860 and fourth all time in punt-return yardage with 550, isn’t the Illini’s top priority. Getting consistent production all season from quarterback Wes Lunt, establishing a run game and finding a replacement for injured Mikey Dudek could rate ahead of this aspect.