Dec. 24, 2014
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DALLAS - The Fighting Illini continued to fine-tune their game plan for the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl with their final full practice at SMU, heard from two Illinois football greats and enjoyed an afternoon of indoor golfing fun on Wednesday.
The Orange and Blue held a 90-minute practice on the grass fields outside SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium, sharpening the plan of attack for Friday's game. Former Illini greats Scott Turner and Terrell Washington, as well as members of the Dallas Illini Club, stopped by practice. Turner and Washington encouraged the current players to stay focused on the task at hand but also use their position as Illinois football players as a springboard to great things on and off the field.
Turner is an especially good example of that, playing nine years in the NFL, where he started a motivational speaking company. Since retiring from football, Turner has launched a number of successful businesses and currently serves as a member of the Texas House of Representatives.
While the Illini were on the practice field, word spread that the eight buses full of Marching Illini members and Illinois cheerleaders had arrived in Dallas, where they were welcomed by the 200 pizzas that Coach Beckman had bought as a token of appreciation!
After practice, the team had position meetings before heading to TopGolf Dallas, where they enjoyed some friendly competition and showed off their golf skills.
The Illini had some downtime in the evening and will hold a walkthrough at the Cotton Bowl on Thursday morning before enjoying Christmas dinner and a white elephant gift exchange as a team.
