Zook, Illinois look to keep the ball rolling

Ron Zook has had more valleys than peaks in his six seasons as Illinois coach. But he's riding a rare peak as he leads the Fighting Illini into spring drills.

Zook came close to losing his job after a 3-9 finish in 2009. It was Zook's fourth losing mark in five seasons, undoing any goodwill left from a magical and unexpected ride to the Rose Bowl after the 2007 season.

But a staff shakeup paid huge benefits in helping forge a 7-6 season that was capped by a Texas Bowl rout of Baylor, Illinois' first bowl win since toppling Virginia in the 1999 MicronPC Bowl.

Tom Dienhart