Illinois football began what Coach Ron Zook calls “Phase Three” of the year today, as spring ball got underway. One of the most noticeable changes was the absence of starting middle linebacker J Leman, who will be almost entirely sidelined throughout the 15 workouts after having surgery on his ankle six weeks ago.

Between injuries, graduations and position changes, the Illini expect to mix things up throughout the next month of workouts. Big areas of change will be the offensive line-which lost Matt Maddox to graduation and Akim Millington to shoulder surgery-and the running back corps, which will look to junior Rashard Mendenhall to hold down fort while the team awaits a fresh crop of backs who will arrive in the fall.

Read all the updates in tomorrow’s Daily Illini.