CHICAGO – Lovie Smith entered the season as a verifiable gray beard. Just check out the pics for any proof.

So the Illini football coach knows it’s never a good idea to talk about the number of wins for a season, but like the rest of Illini nation wants to see improvement in a program generally regarded as the worst among the 14 teams in the Big Ten Conference. Athletic director Josh Whitman offered some vague goals earlier this summer, and Lovie also talked about taking a step forward.

Perhaps it’s a few more wins. Assuredly, it’s making the other teams sweat a bit, because the Illini had too many weekends last year when they didn’t make it a game.

“Look where we started in the first year,’’ Lovie said. “After that, we played with one recruiting class. Have a little bit of patience when you play with one recruiting class. Everybody saw what we did and who we played. Those guys need a little bit of time. That’s the patience. I’ll say to fans and everyone who wants to listen. We will see a better product on the field. It’s not like we got blown out in every game last year. We’re on track. Eventually, that patience will pay off.’’

Picked last in the league in the majority of the preseason publications while searching for a quarterback, preparing to run a new offense and expecting to get more help on defense, the Illini have done little to reward loyal fans outside of talking about the future. With a 5-19 record in his first two seasons and the 0-9 mark in his second trip through the Big Ten last fall, Lovie understood it’s time to show some kind of marked improvement.

“We realize we haven’t won enough games,’’ Lovie said. “But they come, if you continue to do the right things. We’ve changed the culture of our program. We know the look that we’d like to have on the football field.

Just don’t expect to pin him down.

“I don’t think you should ever say this is now many wins we have to have or we’re going to get,’’ Lovie said. “But for us, when we say improvement, when you talk about the young players, first time on the field (last year), I just know behind the scenes they’ve gotten so much better. You look at what happened during the course of the year. There were really about three games where we didn’t have a chance to win last year. Most of the time, we played competitive ball.

“So this year, taking another step, getting out of the gate early on, getting momentum, and then we’ll see. I just know we’re a better football team right now. Normally, with my history, that shows results during the course of the year.’’

Considered a tear down and start-from-scratch project, the Illini are beginning to look more like a Big Ten team, Lovie said. The Illini have a second full recruiting class on board since Lovie’s arrival, and there have been makeovers in the weight room. In the great analogy from Whitman, the Illini have reached the starting line.

“Year three, the overhaul for us, is underway,’’ Lovie said. “We as a coaching staff needed to do a better job, but we needed to upgrade the talent level. We’re doing that. This is when you expect to see results.’’

One thing’s for sure. The Illini can’t blame a slow start on any long road trips. Illinois doesn’t leave the state of Illinois until October.

“When you only leave the state of Illinois only one time until late October, you have to be excited about that,’’ Lovie said. “We need to get off to a good start.’’

Of course, the big question is quarterback play. Cam Thomas logged time as a true freshman starter last season. He might fit into an offense that’s been run heavy over the past few years. First-year Illini offensive coordinator Rod Smith gets to call the plays in the RichRod spread offense, a read option attack that’s been heavy on the ground over the last few seasons.

The Illini have a three-man quarterback recruiting class among freshmen plus a graduate transfer on the way to make it interesting in preseason camp.

“As coaches, we will put the guys in position and let it play out,’’ Lovie said. “And the guy we end up with we'll feel really good about. Cam brings an awful lot. I described him as a developmental passer, but he has a strong arm. Of course, he did a lot of things with his feet last year. Just like we talk about with the rest of the freshmen, he's grown an awful lot this past year.’’

On defense, the Illini appreciate the return of linebacker Jake Hansen, a Florida product who was playing his way into the starting lineup in preseason camp a year ago before a season-ending knee injury. Defensive lineman Jamal Milan is back after missing the last two games because of injury.

“We just know the skill set we’re looking for in in the linebacker position,’’ Lovie said. “He’s a smart football player. He’s athletic and has good speed. We feel like we’ve seen it in practice. We know what we’re getting. We need that in the linebacker position in general.’’

What we don’t know is much detail about the suspension of Larry Boyd, a starter as a true freshman on the offensive line last season. Lovie wouldn’t provide any details or much hints about when Boyd might return to playing status, or if he’s already there. Lovie said Boyd would be competing in preseason camp, so it didn’t sound like much of a suspension.

Otherwise, the news was Lovie’s gray beard, but, honestly, that’s not much news. For these Illini, it’s about making progress and being competitive.

“I like how we're sitting year three,’’ Lovie said. “And this is when we expect to see results.

“A rebuild in in general, you identify what you want to do,’’ Lovie said. “Sometimes, you go into a program with a lot of established veterans. You take a different approach. That wasn’t the case with us. You go through growing pains. Those growing pains are over. They’re still young, but they have experience now.’’