My seven thoughts for the week:

🔸 Mr. Whitman goes to Washington
🔹 March hope is rekindled for #illini hoops
🔸 Five players I'm watching during spring ball
🔹 Significant Pro Day for several Illini
🔸 My All-B1G ballot
🔹 Bears moves
🔸 Quick hitters

247sports.com/colleg...

COMMIT: #illini land three-star Olney OL Casey Thomann

Illinois offered first, hosted him about a dozen times and beat out several B1G foes for the downstate offensive lineman with a high ceiling.

Why it matters & what it means: 247sports.com/colleg...

Yes, it's still early, but ... #illini football currently has a top-5 recruiting class in the country, according to both the 247Sports and Composite team rankings

🔗 247sports.com/season...

The difference between a Costco rotisserie chicken and a Whole Foods chicken feels like a metaphor for our gilded age

wait why does the dept of government efficiency have two co-chairs