PEORIA — Lovie Smith and his coaching staff have figured it out: There are recruitable players in central Illinois.
Tim Thornton, coach of the state champion Peoria High Lions, hopes other schools follow Illinois’ lead.
The Illini already have landed one of the Lions: defensive lineman Kendrick Green will sign with them on Feb. 1. And Smith made an offer to Peoria junior quarterback Coran Taylor for the Class of 2018.
“He’s a big kid, and he’s got a real good football IQ,” Thornton said of Taylor. “The ball really jumps out of his hand. And he can run the ball a lot.