CHICAGO – As the Big Ten Football season got its official start with Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, Illinois’ head coach promised progress in Memorial Stadium this season.

“On any given Saturday anyone in this conference can win,” Illinois head coach Ron Zook said in his press conference Tuesday morning. “We have everything everyone else has, we just have to get the players in here and win.”

Zook pointed to Illinois’ defense as a make-or-break factor when measuring the team’s potential. With a new defensive coordinator, a core of returning players and an onslaught of incoming freshman with serious playing potential, the defense may go from a sore subject to a talking point by midseason.

Zook expects big things from Illinois’ secondary, singling out senior Alan Ball as a potential leader. Ball made impressive progress this summer, Zook said, after breaking his arm at the end of the spring season.

“(This spring) it felt like he was beginning to come on and be a Big-Ten type defensive back,” Zook said.

Safeties Kevin Mitchell, Justin Harrison and junior college transfer Justin Sanders also got nods as players with great potential. Last season Mitchell led the team in tackles while Harrison finished third despite playing just eight games because of a hip injury.

Couple the veterans’ experience with the athleticism of the freshman class, and Zook expects fans to be pleasantly surprised with what happens on the field. But the second-year head coach knows the Illini faithful will have to see it to believe it.

“As you get into the season, are you going to be improved enough?” Zook said. “That’s the big question.”

OSU PICKED AS PRESEASON CHAMP

Ohio State will be the 2006 conference champion, if a poll of Big Ten media is right.

The Buckeyes were chosen as the preseason favorite, the Big Ten announced, followed by Michigan and Iowa. The conference surveyed more than 400 media members attending the media days in Chicago.

Zook pointed to Ohio State’s offensive success – led by quarterback Troy Smith – as the reason for the poll may be right.

“Anytime you’ve got a quarterback like that you’ve got a chance to win,” Zook said.

Smith was picked as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

ZOOK REMEMBERS RANDY WALKER

Illinois’ head coach expressed sadness at the death of former teammate and coaching colleague Randy Walker, who died of an apparent heart attack on June 29.

Zook recalled meeting Walker before they played together at Miami University. He said the eventual Northwestern head coach offered him encouragement as the Illini dropped to the bottom of the Big Ten in 2005.

“The one thing Randy told me when we struggled last year, he said to me, ‘Zooker, you better enjoy this,'” Zook said. “And he’s right; you’ve got to enjoy it. It is a profession that sometimes you’re thrown out in the middle of it, you’ve just got to go man go.”

READINESS IN GIVING FRESHMEN PLAYING TIME

Zook didn’t name names, but said some incoming freshmen will be sure to make a splash early in the season.

He emphasized, though, that he won’t burn a redshirt if the player is not mature enough physically or mentally to handle the pressure of the college game.

“Usually the player himself will let you know (when he’s ready),” Zook said. “The more you know them as athletes, the more you know them as people, the more you know when they’re going to be able to handle it.”

One player Zook is confident will handle the challenge is Kyle Yelton, the punter who left high school a semester early to begin practicing in Champaign. Yelton is as good as guaranteed to start now that predecessor Steve Weatherford is playing for the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.

“These are some very, very talented guys,” Zook said. “But any time you put guys who were riding busses three months ago in there, they’re going to have to learn real quick.”