No heat flows underneath the giant synthetic bubble that covers Memorial Stadium's turf, so it seems odd for Illinois' players to be practicing in shoulder pads and shorts.

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But while the Champaign weather outside is frightfully bitter, the Fighting Illini seem comfy as they work themselves into a lather in preparation for the Dec. 30 Micronpc.com Bowl in Miami against Virginia.

After coach Ron Turner put his charges through two weeks of practice, it was apparent Illinois' prospects are as high as its spirits.

All of the players who were banged up during the Nov. 20 finale against Northwestern -- a crucial group that includes quarterback Kurt Kittner, strong safety Asim Pleas and guards Ray Redziniak and Jay Kulaga -- are the picture of perfect health.

"I don't know if Kittner would have been able to play if we had a game the next week (after Northwestern)," Turner said. "Redziniak (shoulder) definitely would have been out. Kulaga (knee) would have been out."

Kittner's woeful right shoulder felt so bad against the Wildcats that he threw two interceptions after tossing just two in the team's first 10 games.

These days, Kittner's wowing onlookers with the 55-yard laser beams he's firing to all the right places.

"He looks as good or better than ever," Turner said. "He's looking outstanding. He was real rusty the first couple days out. His shoulder was still a little sore, but the last four practices he has looked really, really good."

Turner designed Illinois' first seven practices -- which he scheduled on weekends to fit around classes and final exams -- as opportunities for the younger Illini to improve more rapidly.

"For the first seven practices, we treated it like spring practice," Turner said. "Now we're starting to zero in a little bit and focus on the game plan, while we're still giving the young guys a lot of work. Every snap they get is crucial to them."

Though Illinois' future is getting long looks from the coaches, Illinois' present -- the seniors -- are making sure everyone keeps their focus on Virginia.

The "no bars" rule the seniors instituted in the preseason remains in effect -- players can't visit local liquor establishments except on Saturday night. The veterans also are making their underlings stay on the straight and narrow while on the turf.

Pleas, the team's choice for defensive MVP, thought he saw a freshman defensive back dogging it during a recent 7-on-7 passing drill. He promptly hollered at the offending player, "If you don't want to play, get the (heck) off the field. I've been here five years. You're a freshman, you're a hothead, you come in and you think you can just ride the boat on in? Uh-uh. That's not going to happen with me. Maybe you can do this next year when I'm gone, but not this year."

"That's just part of staying on guys," Pleas said. "I don't want guys to get content with going to the bowl game -- we've got to win."

The Personnel File

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES: Virginia senior tailback Thomas Jones is being touted as the first running back to be picked in the April NFL draft. Illinois' veteran defense, which includes seven seniors, realizes it will be facing the best they've seen all year (remember, Illinois didn't play Wisconsin).

"He's the best back we've faced this year -- by far," said senior defensive tackle Mike McGee, who rallied from a midseason hamstring injury to set career highs for solo tackles (10) and sacks (2) down the stretch.

"He's unbelievably fast. He can do almost anything on the football field. Not only is he just a great runner -- he carries the ball about 30 times a game -- but they throw the ball to him a lot. He'll get off into the open, he'll make guys miss, he breaks tackles real easy. With a speed back like that, you don't necessarily see them breaking big tackles. He's a guy that can break them."

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kurt Kittner, QB. After barely beating out senior Kirk Johnson for the job during fall drills, Kittner proceeded to stamp his name throughout the Illini record book. He threw 22 touchdown passes -- tying Jeff George's school record -- and just four interceptions.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Danny Clark, LB. At a school renowned for its incredible linebackers through the years, the fleet senior pushed his way into sixth place on the career tackle chart with 381. In earning all-Big Ten honorable mention honors for the third consecutive year, Clark produced 115 stops, 11 for losses. He has accepted an invite to play in the Hula Bowl All-Star Classic.

COACH UPDATE: Ron Turner (10-23 in three years at Illinois, 17-27 in four years overall). Turner couldn't be in better shape, having received a three-year contract extension that takes him through to 2004. He finished No. 4 in the Associated Press' balloting for national Coach of the Year. His only superiors were Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer, Hawaii's June Jones and Minnesota's Glen Mason.

STRENGTHS: Ever since they got thwacked 37-7 by Minnesota in Week 6, the Illini have done a terrific job of getting "up" for every game. They didn't die when trailing 27-7 in the third quarter at Michigan, fended off a fourth-quarter rally by Iowa, and took it to Ohio State.

CONCERNS: The offensive line hasn't always provided enough room for the "H-backs" -- Steve Havard and Rocky Harvey -- to make enough yardage to keep defenses honest.

Noteworthy

WINNING THE RECRUITING WARS: Illinois' spectacular on-field turnaround has led to a record amount of verbal commitments.

As of December 20, Illinois had filled 21 of its 24 open scholarships -- and all of them are going to high school seniors.

The Fighting Illini have hit the jackpot at wide receiver and offensive line, in particular. They have commitments from four wideouts, including highly touted Ade Adeyamo from St. Rita High School in Chicago and Jamaal Clark from Riverview Gardens High in suburban St. Louis.

Five offensive linemen are in tow -- a group that includes 290-pound Illinois all-staters Dave Hilderbrand (Naperville Central) and Patrick Babcock (Stillman Valley). Both led their teams to state titles.

Two-thirds of the recruits hail from Illinois while the rest span the nation from Maryland to San Diego.

CONNOR PETITIONS FOR SIXTH YEAR: Once the bowl game is over, senior defensive end Rameel Connor plans to ask the NCAA to grant him a sixth year of eligibility.

Connor, who used his redshirt year as a freshman in 1995, missed all but one game in 1997 with a groin injury.

The 6-foot-3, 265-pounder be a valuable returnee in 2000 -- he was the team's No. 2 pass rusher with five sacks -- if his petition comes through.