Ron Zook almost never allows himself to bask in the positive reflection of all that has happened since he was named University of Illinois football coach on Dec. 7, 2004. | U Pick 'Em

Instead of chest thumping and back slapping, which he has earned, he prefers to say, "We've still got a long way to go."

True, it would be foolish to declare that Illinois has reached college football's mountaintop after one winning season, one unexpected trip to the Rose Bowl and one 32-point loss once they got there.

But one week ago, Zook let slip an insight that proved even he is occasionally taken aback by the progress that has been made in a little less than 45 months.

After a recent scrimmage, Zook stood at the edge of the crisp artificial turf inside newly renovated Memorial Stadium while his 20th-ranked team marched past one of the biggest, best, completely new weight rooms in all of America.

The roster he inherited back on Day One now looks like a 1972 Ford Pinto compared to the collection of Corvettes and Cadillacs he has assembled in the months since.

And between requests to appear on the Jim Rome Show and to speak with Sports Illustrated, he is filming a reality TV show on the Big Ten Network.

Zook said he and assistant coaches Dan Disch, Reggie Mitchell and Curt Mallory gathered briefly on the new turf and couldn't help but scan the glistening structure that will now house Memorial Stadium's club seating, luxury suites and press box. Then they regarded their much-improved team.

"I just said, 'Man, we've come a long way since we stood here in January after we were hired,'" Zook said to his staff.

That's as far as he will go with it. But isn't that a grand understatement?

It's not easy to pull a college football program through a complete overhaul. It involves changing attitudes, expectations and work ethics, to say nothing of changing personnel and body types.

It takes patience (not Zook's long suit) because suffering through those blowout losses during his first season required total faith, an absolute belief that the torture would not last for long.

It requires replacing the habit of losing with the habit of winning, no easy task.

But once the players begin committing, once defeats turn to victories and once a program becomes a factor on the national scene again, doors open everywhere.

Just this week, athletic director Ron Guenther reminded folks that football is "the engine" that drives the entire athletic department's financial machine. For the first time in a long time, "the engine" is purring and it's starting to spit out cash.

Ticket sales are rocking. Illini football apparel is jumping off the shelves. National media requests are piling up because people are curious how a man fired at Florida has ignited a fire at Illinois.

Illini players are turning up on "watch lists" for every conceivable individual award and ESPN has already sent a letter inquiring about Illinois' willingness to be considered for its "Game Day" show, presumably for the Nov. 15 showdown against Ohio State.

Workers within the athletic department are a happy group, mainly because when football or basketball strikes it rich, it elevates everyone's spirits. And throughout Central Illinois, the hard core fans are already scanning bowl schedules to begin dreaming about tentative holiday travel plans. That's when donors feel rewarded, when they feel like their investment is paying off.

Nationally speaking, Illini football has become relevant again and when "the engine" is relevant, it pulls the entire train with it.

So although he won't do it, at some point this season Ron Zook and his staff should assemble at the 50-yard line, look up into the crowd and take a bow while soaking in the sounds of a standing ovation.

I'm not saying they will win every game this season. I like 9-3 as my preseason guess and a loss to Missouri in the opener is quite possible.

It doesn't matter. It doesn't change what has happened and what will continue to happen.

"The engine" is rolling again and although Zook is right that there's still a ways to go, the momentum created over the past 45 months is undeniable and, given how far they've come, a bit unbelievable.

Mark Tupper covers University of Illinois football for Lee News Services. Contact him at mark.tupper@lee.net

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