Kickoff is slated for 7:07 p.m. Saturday night inside the Metrodome, but before the Illini can battle the Gophers they first have to get there. And that is a lengthy, difficult process in itself.

Moving the Illini the 513 miles to Minneapolis or any other road game is a practice of preparation and coordination involving players, coaches, trainers and equipment managers.

Equipment manager Trent Chestnut has worked for Illinois football for eight seasons and oversees a process that he said starts immediately following the previous week’s game.

“People just see the game but they don’t see all the work that goes on behind the scene to get it all there,” Chestnut said.

“It’s not a glamorous job. As long as no one is complaining, we’re doing our job. It’s fun for us; we enjoy it.”

The equipment staff uses an array of blue trunks to categorize and haul the equipment. Nine trunks are used to load the 70 players’ uniforms and personal equipment and an additional trunk is used to haul the coaching staff’s game shirts, pants and shoes. These are the last of the trunks loaded into the truck that departs Thursday evenings following practice.

Once at the stadium on game day, the equipment staff sets up the phone system used by coaches on the field to communicate with other coaches in the box upstairs.

“We take the phone system which is crucial for any college,” Chestnut said. “That’s got to be set up early on game day because everyone is fighting for radio frequencies now because everything is wireless. You get there early and get your stuff set up so you can get better frequencies than radio and TV.”

Players and coaches remain in Champaign until after a Friday workout at Memorial Stadium. Under former coach Ron Turner the team left earlier in the day and went though a practice and light workout in the road stadium. With Ron Zook at the helm, the players head to the road stadium to get their bearings and see the locker rooms.

The Illini locker rooms are prepared in time for the Friday walkthrough. Road lockers are arranged numerically by position.

“We’re there about 15 to 20 minutes and then Bam! we’re out of there,” Chestnut said.

After leaving the stadium, the team heads to the hotel for dinner and a movie, after which Zook addresses the team.

“It’s kind of motivational,” senior defensive lineman Chris Norwell said. “(Zook) reminds us we have a game to play. He shows a little highlight tape from the week before. It gets us going and thinking about football again.”

The senior from Cincinnati rooms with fullback Russ Weil on road trips.

“He’s a terrible roommate,” Norwell joked. “He’s always on the phone with his girlfriend late at night.”

When it comes to traveling, Norwell said he keeps it simple.

“I bring my clothes and my phone – that’s it,” Norwell said. “I don’t have an iPod. I’m not one of those guys that listen to music.”

Linebacker J Leman said he has just two requirements when he travels:

“I always bring my Bible,” the Butkus Award candidate said. “Other than that, my toothbrush, because if you forget your toothbrush I just can’t stand brushing with my fingers.”

This weekend is an unusual trip for the Illini because of the start time. Instead of heading to the stadium Saturday morning, players and coaches will have time for meetings during the day before heading to the Metrodome two-and-a-half hours prior to game time.

“It’s a lot more sitting around than you think,” Leman added. “It’s not like every second is preparation. A lot of it is relaxing and getting your mind off the game for a little bit and then focusing back in on it.”