URBANA — As the Illinois football team wrapped up practice on Monday evening at the Campus Recreation Fields, Lovie Smith and players spent time signing autographs for some fans in attendance.
Soon after, the players and most coaches hopped onto one of five school buses waiting to take them on the 1-mile ride back to team headquarters at Memorial Stadium.
Smith and offensive line coach Luke Butkus, though, had a different mode of transportation. Since camp began last week, the pair have been getting to and from camp on their bicycles, each insisting that it's a ploy to whip them into better physical condition.