The Linking Illini: National Signing Day.

Recruiting wise, this isn't too huge of a year for the University of Illinois, the classes that included players like Arrelious Benn, Juice Williams, Martez Wilson and Corey Liuget are a few years behind us. Just last year, we were in the running for top tier type players like Kyle Prater and C.J. Fiedorowicz but then when the bottom fell out on the season and the coaching staff was cleaned out, recruiting had to start back from basically zero.

This year the recruiting class is pretty good, but without the stand outs that will raise eyebrows. Another year making a bowl and making progress could bring the bigger names back though. National Signing Day for us then isn't really going to be filled with too many surprises. But....

• You can follow all of the national drama of National Signing Day at SB Nation's mothership, featuring contributions from Andy Hutchins, Holly Anderson, Spencer Hall, and ME. Florida State, Auburn, Notre Dame, USC, everybody is clamoring over those HS players, and we know you want to watch it all unfold. (Shameless plug, complete.)
• Three of the more notable recruits for the Illini that you should at least familiarize yourself with are being profiled over at IlliniHQ.com Included are Texas running back Donovonn Young (who we are told might be the next Mikel Leshoure, who was the next Rashard Mendenhall) Rielly O'Toole, the All State Illinois QB who very much fits the profile for what Paul Petrino wants. And rounding things out for notable recruits, Pennsylvania's Dondi Kirby, a DB who was offered by major players Florida and OSU but came to Illinois after being injured his senior season.
  If anything crazy happens for the Illini,we will be here all day updating. (It is a snow day after all.)
• Speaking of Ohio State, one of their recruits committed perhaps one of the most shocking things I have ever heard of from a major college recruit, and was arrested last night for sexual harassment, lets say. The whole story can be found here, and I think it is safe to say he wont be playing for OSU next year.
• Fighting Illini .com has the all of the LOI confirmations you will need, video of the players, pics and even a special Ron Zook live chat. Please go there now, and ask him awesome questions for me.