CHAMPAIGN — When Stacey Jackson talks about the friendship between Josh Brent and her late son Jerry Brown, she often laughs. The two entered the University of Illinois at the same time, defensive players who signed on to play football for Ron Zook.
A chef at the UI, Jackson was oftentimes tasked with feeding the 300-pound behemoths.
Brown liked Mom's spaghetti and hot wings. Brent liked turkey necks.
"It was OK with me," Jackson said. "Each of them liked different stuff and I didn't have a problem with that because that's what I used to do — cook big batches of food for everybody.