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CHAMPAIGN – Coach Lovie Smith talked the talk Sunday during the Illinois football media day at the Illinois Football Complex Sunday in Memorial Stadium.

You know how it goes. Hope. Dreams. Big Ten conference championships. Everything each team mentions at this time of the year.

But let’s be a little more realistic. For the Illini, Smith’s first year is about laying the groundwork for a program moving forward. Assuredly, Illinois wants to return to bowl season, play the role of underdog and win the games it should win while avoiding a bad loss.

Six wins and a trip to the Fill-In-The-Blank Bowl would do nicely.

The real measuring stick comes in recruiting season. Before Illinois steps onto the Zuppke Field turf for the season opener against Murray State on Sept. 3, Illinois is gaining some momentum by landing commitments from key recruiting hot spots.

“Selfishly, this is my first year as a college football head coach,’’ Smith said. “This will be my first class I’m bringing in. You hope guys would see our vision and want to get on board with that. We’ve gotten positive results.’’

While it’s been a bit of a slower start for a collection of coaches brought together in late spring – the other Big Ten teams have more commitments at this early stage -- Illinois showed signs of tapping into a second key market over the weekend.

After St. Louis University High School athlete Tony Adams chose the Illini over Missouri, St. Louis Trinity Catholic offensive lineman Larry Boyd picked the Illini over Missouri, Oklahoma State and Arkansas. It came down to two words, Boyd said.

“Lovie Smith,’’ Boyd said. “There ain’t no other coach like him.’’

Until the Illini have some good results to sell on the field, they will rely on the reputation of Smith, the first-year Illini coach with Super Bowl experience. If recruits don’t recognize Smith from his days as Chicago Bears coach, then the recruits’ parents remember. Hired at a point where some of the stars in the class of 2017 already had their finalists, Smith is off to a good start at Illinois even if Illinois hasn’t yet lined up a top class and ranks No. 78 nationally with its current group for 2017.

“Lovie has made a very positive impression,’’ said Tim O’Halloran, the Chicago based recruiting analyst known as Edgy Tim. “He’s been very open and accommodating. He’s talking to people, shaking hands and kissing babies. Everything you need to do. They’ve done everything right. It’s gone over well. It’s all positive from the kids who have been down there and visited.’’

The face of the program isn’t the senior quarterback, no matter the strength of Wes Lunt’s arm his leadership. It’s not the defense or a string of recent success. It’s Lovie Smith. Evidently, Smith’s shelf life as Bears coach hasn’t expired.

“We all have a history,’’ Smith said. “With me being around the Chicago area, I would like to think people remember me. That has gotten us into a few more homes. We are an open book. You have an idea of what you thought we were and how we did things. Now, you get a chance to know us up close and personal.’’

Smith’s street cred can open doors. From there, they want to impress with how the Illini coaching staff goes about its work.

“Now, they’ll have more time to see us in every situation and get to know us, me as a head coach and our coaches,’’ Smith said. “We want them to meet our players, see how we run practice and how we do everything. That’s what I want potential prospects for us to see. They’ll have a chance now, instead of wondering what it’s like.’’

Getting players on campus is a priority for Smith, like any college coach. He’d also like to make a good first impression this fall, if not by piling up the wins but with a coaching staff and program that’s sending a message with how it goes about business.

“We would like to show them that we’re headed in the right direction,’’ Smith said. “We want to have a great year.’’

Even though Illinois’ list of commitments is filled with three-star players, Smith is living up to a pledge about recruiting Chicago and St. Louis. Notre Dame is nearly impossible to beat in the Chicago market, and “Chicago is probably the most over recruited area in the country,’’ Edgy Tim said.

Rebuilding a pipeline from St. Louis to Champaign is also a priority. If Smith could get it going, it would come at a time of transition with Mizzou and when St. Louis is producing players. The start came with Adams and Boyd.

“(Boyd’s) recruitment seemed like it was going in several directions,’’ said Josh Helmholdt, the Midwest recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. “For Illinois, it was very impressive. More importantly, they are trending up with their momentum in St. Louis at the right time.’’

With three top 100 recruits nationally in the class of 2018, St. Louis is ripe. Defensive tackles Trevor Trout and Michael Thompson and wide receiver Kamryn Babb are all on the Illini radar.

“This is a time when you can really reel in some big time talent if you’re doing well,’’ Helmholdt said.

Smith made a statement by recruiting Chicago, the state of Illinois and St. Louis before landing a handful of recruits from elsewhere nationally.

“Where he has started and where is he getting the majority of the commitments is in the state and the region,’’ Helmholdt said. “That speaks volumes to the high school coaches. Illinois’ program under Lovie Smith still cares about local talent. That’s very important.’’

Sooner or later, winning plays a role in securing the top talent. Illinois is no different. Of course, Smith can sell hope. He can also sell his NFL background.

“In 13 years covering recruiting, I’ve never met a kid who didn’t want to get to the NFL,’’ Helmholdt said. “That’s a different recruiting tool for Lovie. Illinois is utilizing that so far.’’

With nine commitments in what will likely be a 25-man class, Smith and the Illini are predictably off to a modest start. Yet Illinois is laying the groundwork for the next few months and perhaps the next few years.

John Supinie is a columnist for Orangeandbluenews.com. During the day, he’s an Audi Brand Specialist at Green Audi in Springfield. Call or text him at 217-377-1977 if you’re looking for an Audi, Volkswagen, Toyota or preowned car. Ask for the Illini deal.