Sometime in the next month, Miami and the ACC are going to decide if they are made for each other. If the answer is "Yes," that''s when the fun begins. If Miami moves, then Syracuse, Boston College and Virginia Tech might follow. If the Big East loses three or four of its football members, it might go looking at other leagues (Conference USA) for members. And the Big Ten might even get involved, with Pitt an obvious consideration for a 12th school. Until the ACC makes a decision, Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg isn''t going to fret. If at all. Weiberg is spending time this week in Arizona at the Fiesta Frolic, an annual event for commissioners, athletic directors and coaches sponsored by the BCS bowl. "It''s certainly been talked about," Weiberg said. "I''m monitoring the situation. I''m not jumping to any conclusions about it. At this point, I''m not assuming there''s going to be an expansion by the ACC." But Weiberg and other commissioners have known for a while the ACC is looking to build. "In that regard, it isn''t a surprise," Weiberg said. "Perhaps it''s reaching a point where a decision will be made one way or the other." Expansion by the ACC won''t likely have an impact on the Big 12. The league is set with its membership and happy about the performances, both on the field and off. "I think it''s been a competitive success in the sense that we have had teams competing for national championships in virtually every sport," Weiberg said. "Financially, we''ve done well. I think it''s helped to solidify our position nationally in terms of our ability to have some impact on governance issue. It would be hard for me to envision a conference any bigger than this." Weiberg can fill in the ACC about the good and the bad of expansion. A big concern for the ACC is the home-and-home basketball series for the nine schools. But it''s hard to complain about the financial windfall from a championship football game. When the Big Eight turned into the Big 12, Oklahoma and Nebraska had to end their annual football game. Duke and North Carolina face the same problem in basketball. "The impact on the culture of the conference was significant for the old Big Eight members," Weiberg said. Keeping track Illinois football coach Ron Turner also is keeping an eye on the possible ACC expansion. "To me, it does make sense," Turner said. Ultimately, he figures the changes could have an impact on the Big Ten. Turner is among the football coaches who favor a 12th Big Ten school. "I think that could be good for the conference," Turner said. "If it stayed the way it is, it would be fine." Travel time Turner has spent most of the last two weeks away from Champaign-Urbana, evaluating players and visiting high schools across the country. Illinois is making more stops than usual this year in the Atlanta area. New assistant coach Tommy Thigpen previously recruited Georgia. "He''s got a lot of connections there," Turner said. "I think we can make some inroads there. There are a lot of great players there." Unlike Chicago, the Atlanta area isn''t over-recruited, Turner said. And it''s close enough that the players know about Illinois and the Big Ten. Lining them up The final spring depth chart was released with few surprises. "We still have a lot of positions up in the air and a lot of positions where more than one guy is going to play, so it really won''t matter who the starter is for the first game," Turner said. "We''re going to have a lot of people playing." Moving back Melvin Bryant spent most of the spring listed at receiver. But the current depth chart has him at tight end. He still will work some at receiver, Turner said. "The work he got at receiver is really going to help him," Turner said. Bryant becomes the reverse of Walter Young, who was listed as a receiver but worked many of his routes from the tight end position. Bryant will be a tight end capable of the routes reserved for a receiver. Missing part One player not on the depth chart is offensive lineman Mike Zande, who has left the team but remains in school. The former News-Gazette All-Stater had the potential to be a starter, Turner said. "He wasn''t sure if his heart was in it," Turner said. "Right now, he''s just stepped aside." Turner hasn''t ruled out the idea of Zande returning to the team in the future, but it won''t be in the fall. Zande has given up his scholarship. "It was a surprise," Turner said. "Usually, you sense that kind of stuff, but with him I didn''t. Usually when a guy is feeling that way, he doesn''t play very well. He said he''s been struggling with it quite a while." Feeling his pain Turner is a longtime friend of recently fired Alabama coach Mike Price. "I feel bad for him," Turner said. "He made an error in judgement. I can''t say that Alabama''s wrong in what they did, as much as I like Mike." Price''s firing has college coaches thinking about their actions. "Most of us always have been," Turner said. "I think we need to. I stood in front of 80-some players the other day. We''re a role model. As I told the players, we''re defined by our actions. Your character is proven by what we do. If you make the right decisions and do the right thing, then you''re thought of a certain way. If I stand up there and say all of that and talk to them about making the right decisions, then I feel an obligation to do the same thing." Feeling his joy Turner worked with new Alabama coach Mike Shula for four years with the Chicago Bears. He said Shula is a good fit for Alabama. "You won''t find a better person," Turner said. "I think he''s got everything you would look for in a head coach. He is squeaky clean." There will be no strip club issues with Shula. "If Mike Shula''s ever stepped foot in one, I''d be shocked," Turner said. Planning stages Turner said he is happy with the progress of Illinois'' recruiting. "I think we''re getting a real good feel for where the players are," Turner said. "I don''t think we''ll have as many commitments going into the season as we had a year ago. That was unusual. I think we''re in on some really good kids." Members of the Illinois coaching staff attended a recent combine in Decatur. "The big reason was to be seen," Turner said. "It does give us an opportunity to evaluate a lot of kids. Illinois is important to us. We want people to realize that. We can cover a lot of ground." Going west Oregon athletic director Bill Moos doesn''t know when the games will be played, but he is definitely planning for a series between the Ducks and Illinois. The schools played a two-game set in the mid-1990s, Oregon earning a pair of close wins. The next games will be in the middle or later part of the decade. "I''ve really worked to secure a home-and-home series with the Big Ten," Moos said. In recent years, the Ducks have played Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin and Michigan. They''ve got a game against the Wolverines this season and play Indiana in ''04 and ''05. There is a hole in the ''06 and ''07 schedules, which could be filled by Illinois. Having Big Ten and Pac-10 teams meet in the regular season makes perfect sense to Moos. "We''re Rose Bowl partners," Moos said. "We''re partners with ABC. Every time we''ve played, you know we''re either going to be on ABC or ESPN." Oregon''s Autzen Stadium looks different than the last time Illinois played in Eugene. The school has done $90 million worth of improvements to the building and expanded seating to 54,000. Bob Asmussen covers college football for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at (217) 351-5233 or via e-mail him at rasmusse@news-gazette.com.