DECATUR - Marques Wilkins aims high and dreams big.

He envisions a day when he'll walk away from college with a master's degree in business, or, perhaps, a degree in engineering. "I want to take something worthwhile," the senior-to-be at MacArthur High School said. "I don't want to go just to go."

He envisions a day when he'll have a chance to play in the National Football League.

And he envisions it all starting in Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois.

That's the choice the wide receiver announced Monday afternoon, picking Coach Ron Zook's Illini over his other finalists - Purdue, Michigan State, Kansas State and Wisconsin. And even though he has yet to win a single game for the orange and blue, Zook ended up being the difference.

Zook was hired Dec. 7 to revitalize a program that had slumped under former coach Ron Turner.

"Really, if coach Zook hadn't come to Illinois, I wouldn't have come," said Wilkins, a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder who proved his elusiveness and versatility by racking up 600 yards receiving, 600 yards rushing and scoring 17 touchdowns in just five games last season before injuring his hamstring.

"I wouldn't have come under coach Turner. Coach Zook really changed my mind. He's a real people person. He's easy to get along with, him and the coaching staff. I have been talking to them on a day-to-day basis ever since they offered me back in February."

Wilkins said he plans to drive to Champaign today to personally tell Zook he is accepting his scholarship offer. And, because he is an honors student who will graduate from MacArthur a semester early, Wilkins will enroll at Illinois in January and will be able to participate in spring practice.

"That will put me ahead of the game," he said.

Wilkins was wearing a white T-shirt from Zook's football camp and a blue head cover with an orange Block-I. He said Zook's recruiting message and style won him over.

"He tells you more how you will get in at Illinois, rather than just throw the program in your face," Wilkins said. "Some coaches just say, 'We do this, we've won that,' but they don't really say where you fit into it all. Coach Zook does a very good job of that."

Zook is already getting commitments from some promising offensive skill players. Wide receiver Chris James from Chicago Morgan Park committed, as did Chicago Vocational quarterback Isiah Williams.

"I know Chris real well," Wilkins said. "I talk to him a lot, and I've gone to visit him. And Juice (Williams), he's real good. He has a real strong arm. He made it easier for me to commit because I wanted to be sure they had a good quarterback."

Wilkins is looking for a solid senior season under new MacArthur coach Jed Kennedy, who, like Zook, comes to Central Illinois from Florida.

"Marques will be a slot guy in our offense," Kennedy said. "He will be involved in the running and receiving game. We want to get the ball in his hands anyway possible."

Wilkins will be joining another Decatur player at Illinois. Brit Miller of Eisenhower will be a freshman linebacker prospect this fall. And, Wilkins said, he's hopeful a former MacArthur player might be joining him down the road.

Wilkins confirmed the rumor that former MacArthur all-stater Moe Dampeer is planning to get his academic affairs in order at Joliet Junior College and may re-emerge as a defensive lineman at Illinois. Dampeer considered Illinois before choosing Oklahoma, where he played only sparingly in two seasons.

Mark Tupper can be reached at mtupper@;herald-review.com or at 421-7983.