The last we heard from Illinois coach Bruce Weber, he was waiting for proof from Jeff Jordan that he was committed to play for the Illini after quitting basketball in the spring to focus on academics. Apparently he was convinced in recent days because Illinois released a statement tonight announcing that Jordan will rejoin the team.

Now the question is what role he will play.

Jordan has been away from the team for four months and has a lot of ground to make up if he is going to take minutes away from a group of guards that includes starter Demetri McCamey, Alex Legion and three freshmen with impressive credentials.

But Jordan isn’t returning just to serve as a practice player. Weber talked extensively at the end of the 2008-09 season about the possibility that Jordan could take over Chester Frazier’s role as a source of energy and defense. Weber was asked this week who was in line to take that role.

“I hope it doesn’t have to be a freshman,” he said.

Weber is high on D.J. Richardson, a potential starter who has shown the ability to defend as well as any of the team’s guards. But if Jordan shows that he has maintained his conditioning and is playing at the level he found last season, he ultimately could regain the type of role he played as a sophomore, when he averaged 8.4 minutes.

If Richardson is up to the task, he clearly would be a better offensive player than Jordan, who averaged one point.

“D.J. is very good defensively,” Weber said. “Since the first time coach (Wayne) McClain and I went to see him play, I remember in open gym he was picking a guy up the whole 84 feet and he did it all night.”

The next month to six weeks will be telling in regard to Jordan’s role.

Here is the statement from Weber regarding his return:

“Jeff recently indicated his interest in coming back to the team. After meeting with him and discussing the situation, we are pleased to give him this opportunity. He has obviously missed a great deal of time away from the program the last six months, and he has a lot of work ahead of him. There are conditions Jeff must meet to fully earn his way back. At this time, his focus needs to be on his academic work and catching up to his teammates in practice. Jeff is a determined young man, and he has expressed to us that he is willing to make the total commitment necessary for a successful return.”