The Illini call him "Korn-dog," "Korn-bread," or just straight "Bread," but junior receiver Mark Kornfeld could have a few other nicknames coming to him after his first three games this season.

How about Mr. Go-to?

Kornfeld has pulled in some of the biggest numbers of the Illini receivers so far this year, racking up 11 catches for 170 yards, an average of 15.5 yards a catch.

"He's right now probably our top receiver," Illinois head coach Ron Turner said Monday. "He's a guy Jon (Beutjer) has a lot of confidence in, and Jon feels comfortable to go to in key situations. All he's doing is getting open and catching the ball."

Kornfeld made one 18-yard eye-catching grab against Missouri that has propelled him to his enhanced role.

Then, he led the team in receiving against Illinois State, and recorded his first collegiate touchdown.

At UCLA, he grabbed six passes for a game-high 79 yards, 30 of which came on a potential game-tying drive at the end of the fourth quarter.

"I'm playing with a lot of confidence," Kornfeld said. "When I'm out there, if the play is calling my number, I feel like I'm going to get open. If the ball is within reach, I feel like I'm going to be able to pull it in."

Mr. Versatility?

After playing no other position but quarterback since the seventh grade, Kornfeld made the decision to branch out last year when he saw Beutjer and Dustin Ward sit in front of him on the depth chart.

Kornfeld thought about playing safety. Turner told him to try receiver.

Kornfeld already knew the entire offense. And Turner has seen several qualities that are making him succeed.

"His hands, his athleticism, his intelligence, his understanding of the offense and the passing game," Turner said.

Kornfeld also lines up in several positions, including tight end — where he's made most of his catches — running back and fullback. And he said he'd be willing to line-up on the outside at receiver, too.

"So I pretty much have to know all the positions, which really isn't hard coming from quarterback — if I don't know what everybody's doing, I'd be lost," Kornfeld said.

"Korn pretty much knows everything about the offense, all the wrinkles," freshman receiver Lonnie Hurst said. "If somebody ain't here, he knows what they do, and if somebody's there he knows what they do. He's a great addition to the receiving corps."

That knowledge and experience also helps him to fill a guidance role for the younger Illinois receivers, such as Hurst and Kelvin Hayden, who are still learning the ropes of Turner's offense.

"The big thing with those guys — especially when we get into game week and we have new wrinkles and different things where we change our protection schemes — is to continually help Lonnie and Kelvin to remember the little things for the offense," Kornfeld said. "Because their brains just start swimming with some of the new stuff.

"Little things like having enough guys on the line of scrimmage. When you get into battle, those things go by the wayside."

Mr. Dependable?

Whether it's because he used to be on the throwing end or he thinks he needs to make up for his average speed, Kornfeld will tell you — he hates to drop a catch.

In a race against Illinois' other receivers, Kornfeld said his 4.65 40 time might leave him a few steps behind, but he uses his developed hand-eye coordination, some of which he said comes from being a high school third baseman, to make up for it.

"I don't exactly have the speed that some of the other receivers in the Big Ten have, so when you lack that 4.4, 4.5 speed, you'd better be able to make up for it some way, and hands is how I do it," Kornfeld said.

Beutjer has said if he gets the ball "anywhere in his vicinity" he's going to catch it.

Against UCLA he missed three catches, one of which was a UCLA interception — but he was also being covered by three Bruins defenders.

"He's proven over and over again. He made some great catches today, one hand catches, they were behind him, high and low," Hurst said Tuesday after practice. "You've gotta do it in practice and then the quarterback will trust you to do it in the game."

Mr. Beat-the-odds?

Turner said Monday there's one force that is most likely driving Kornfeld.

"He's the kind of guy when somebody tells him he can't do something, he's bound and determined to prove them wrong," Turner said.

Kornfeld has said that he's always faced others' doubt about becoming a starter.

"So many people back home and even people up here would always be like, 'Kornfeld has decent hands, but...,'" Kornfeld said after the Illinois State game. "There was always a but. 'He's a backup, he's a backup.' It's good to be able to come out early and work my way onto the field."

Mr. Help-the-Illini-win-some-games?

Well, that remains to be decided.