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OCT 21/WEEK 8 BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jake Hansen, Illinois, Jr., LB, Tarpon Springs, Fla./East Lake,...Forced a pair of fumbles in Illinois' win against Wisconsin, giving him a nation-leading total of seven on the season...Moved into second place in school history for forced fumbles in a season, trailing only Whitney Mercilus' nine in 2011...Finished the game with 11 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss...Receives his second career Defensive Player of the Week honor and first since 2018...Last Illinois Defensive Player of the Week: Jake Hansen (Sept. 3, 2018). - Big Ten football

(DS#14 ILB) rSr/2022

ILB Jake Hansen, Illinois
News Source: Big Ten football
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10/20/19 - Jake Hansen, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-1, 239 (DS#14 ILB) + More +

OCT 20 WALTER CAMP FOOTBALL NATIONAL FBS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: JAKE HANSEN, ILLINOIS, Junior, Linebacker, Tarpon Springs, FL/East Lake HS,...Jake Hansen recorded 11 tackles (6 solo), one quarterback sack and forced two fumbles as Illinois defeated sixth-ranked Wisconsin, 24-23. With the victory, Illinois improved to 3-4, 1-3 in the Big Ten. Notes: Jake Hansen is the second Illinois player to earn Walter Camp National Player of the Week honors since 2004, and the first since running back Mikel LeShoure (Nov. 21, 2010). - The Walter Camp Football Foundation

(DS#14 ILB) rSr/2022

ILB Jake Hansen, Illinois
News Source: The Walter Camp Football Foundation
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10/19/19 - Tony Adams, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-0, 203 (DS#66 CB) + More +

The plan was for Wisconsin to roll into a showdown with Ohio State next week unbeaten, with a defense putting up historic numbers and a Heisman Trophy contender at running back. Illinois had other plans. James McCourt kicked a 39-yard field as time expired and the Illini pulled off the biggest upset of the college football season, knocking off No. 6 Wisconsin 24-23 on Saturday. "Our program, we needed to get a signature win. I was just hoping today was the day, and the day came," said Smith, the former Chicago Bears coach who entered the game 11-31 overall and 4-26 in the Big Ten since taking over Illinois in 2016.

"Against the No. 6 team in the country, we played them toe-to-toe," Smith said. "We saw so much fight. We learned an awful lot about ourselves. We're pumped up. One of the best wins we can possibly have at this stage in our program." Tony Adams picked off a pass by Jack Coan for the Illini (3-4, 1/3 Big Ten), who were 30 1/2-point underdogs, at midfield with 2:33 remaining that set up the winning drive. Dre Brown's tackle-breaking 13-yard run got Illinois to the Wisconsin 25 with 34 seconds left and then the Illini set up McCourt to attempt a winner. The junior kicker was down the middle with the field goal to give Smith the most significant victory for Illinois in years. - Illinois/AP College Football

(DS#66 CB) rSr/2022

CB Tony Adams, Illinois
News Source: Illinois/AP College Football
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10/16/19 - Tommy DeVito, rSr/2023, Illinois, 6-1, 210 (DS#18 QB) + More +

The Orange opened the season ranked 22nd after going 10-3 and finishing ranked 15th last year. Syracuse (3-3) has now lost its three Atlantic Coast Conference games by a combined score of 120-36 and a bowl game is not a sure thing. - AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSr/2023

QB Tommy DeVito, Illinois
News Source: AP College Football
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09/28/19 - Tommy DeVito, rSr/2023, Illinois, 6-1, 210 (DS#18 QB) + More +

Syracuse enters its bye week holding its collective breath on the status of starting quarterback Tommy DeVito and waiting for its offense to start playing at the speed coach Dino Babers expects. DeVito passed for four touchdowns to four different receivers, the Syracuse defense held Holy Cross to 18 yards rushing and the Orange (3-2) defeated the Crusaders (1-3), a member of the Football Championship Subdivision, 41-3 Saturday. But DeVito, who was 19 of 31 for 269 yards, left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury. Things were well in hand for Syracuse, but Babers, who said DeVito gave himself a "thumbs up" after the win, didn't second-guess himself for leaving DeVito in the game.

"He had the first team offensive line in front of him. He's going to be out there a lot in those situations the next three years so we don't see it as a dangerous situation," he said. Babers was effusive in his praise of the defense, but not as much for his unit on the other side of the ball. "I thought our defense was fantastic," Babers said. "Holding a team to no touchdowns in college football is a big deal." As for the offense? "This is year one with our new group. Then we'll get to year two, then year three, and then it won't look like there's paint drying out there because right now it looks slow to me. We'll get it right." Getting it right means eliminating turnovers. The Orange coughed it over three times in the fourth quarter. - Syracuse/AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSr/2023

QB Tommy DeVito, Illinois
News Source: Syracuse/AP College Football
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09/23/19 - Blake Hayes, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-5, 226 (DS#5 P) + More +

SEPT 23/WEEK 4 BIG TEN SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Blake Hayes, Illinois, Jr., P, Melbourne, Australia/Brighton,...Dropped five punts inside the 20, including a 59-yard boot to the 2-yard line that set up a fumble and Illini score on the next play against Nebraska...Averaged 45.9 yards on eight punts against the Huskers...Ranks second on Illinois' career punting average list (43.1 ypp) behind Steve Weatherford (43.5)...Claims his first career Special Teams Player of the Week honor...Last Illinois Special Teams Player of the Week: David Reisner (Nov. 24, 2014). - Big Ten Football

(DS#5 P) rSr/2022

P Blake Hayes, Illinois
News Source: Big Ten Football
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09/21/19 - Tommy DeVito, rSr/2023, Illinois, 6-1, 210 (DS#18 QB) + More +

Syracuse coach Dino Babers was pleased his team's offense had come out of its shell, but in a game that saw both teams combine for more than 1,100 yards and 85 points, it was the defense that helped seal a 52-33 win for the Orange. Western Michigan (2-2) had rallied from a 21-0 deficit to narrow the margin to 38-33 with a little more than 10 minutes remaining and had a fourth-and-1 from its own 42. Momentum was on the Broncos' side and the Carrier Dome knew it. But Syracuse defensive tackle Kenneth Ruff and safety Evan Foster stopped Davon Tucker about a foot short of the first down. On the subsequent drive, tight end Aaron Hackett caught his second touchdown pass of the game from Tommy DeVito and the Orange (2-2) could exhale. "We treat fourth-down stops like a turnover," Babers said.

"That was a really big deal. I thought the one stop was unbelievable where they originally gave them the first down (on third down). For us to come back and stop them on that series was a really big part of the game." "We have to be able to convert a fourth-and-short," said Western Michigan coach Tim Lester, who served as Syracuse offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2013-2015. DeVito passed for a career-high four touchdowns and ran for one score as Syracuse broke a modest two-game losing streak. "I'm a throw-first guy but definitely can run if I have to," said DeVito, who broke off a career-high 60-yard run. "I thought it was cool that he started the game and finished the game with the same number of interceptions (zero)," Babers said. Hackett had a career day with six receptions. - Syracuse/AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSr/2023

QB Tommy DeVito, Illinois
News Source: Syracuse/AP College Football
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09/19/19 - Roderick Perry II, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-1, 304 (DS#54 DT) + More +

SEPT 9/WEEK 2 MEAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: South Carolina State's Roderick Perry (DL, 6-2, 300, r-Jr., Raleigh, N.C.) led the charge for a South Carolina State defense that limited Lane College to under 181 yards of total offense and forced four fumbles. Perry recorded five total tackles with three tackles for a loss of 13 yards and a sack for nine yards in the Bulldogs' 34-0 win. - Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Football

(DS#54 DT) rSr/2022

DT Roderick Perry II, Illinois
News Source: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Football
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09/18/19 - Kody Case, rSr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 182 (DS#141 WR) + More +

SEPT 2/WEEK 1 MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE: WR Kody Case, South Dakota,...Case tied a program record with 11 receptions and totaled a career-high 144 yards with two touchdowns in South Dakota's season opener against No. 25 Montana. It marked Case's second 100-yard game of his career. - Missouri Valley Conference Football

(DS#141 WR) rSr/2023

WR Kody Case, Illinois
News Source: Missouri Valley Conference Football
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09/07/19 - Brandon Peters, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-5, 228 (DS#15 QB) + More +

Illinois passed its first road test on Saturday. Brandon Peters set career highs, throwing for 225 yards and four touchdowns as the Illini overcame an early 13-point deficit to beat UConn 31-23. It was the first nonconference road win for Illinois (2-0) in a dozen years. "Whenever you can eliminate a bad streak like that, it's a positive thing," said coach Lovie Smith. "We're going to be a good football team this year. Hopefully, there will be more of those." Jakari Norwood had 62 yards to lead a rushing attack that accounted for 130 yards. Jack Zergiotis, making his first start in place of an injured Michael Beaudry, completed 21 of 31 passes for 275 yards for the Huskies (1-1). - AP College Football

(DS#15 QB) rSr/2022

QB Brandon Peters, Illinois
News Source: AP College Football
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09/03/19 - Mike Epstein, rSr/2022, Illinois, 5-11, 205 (DS#999 RB) + More +

Illinois running back Mike Epstein has sustained a season-ending injury for the third straight year. Coach Lovie Smith said Monday the junior hurt his knee in the third quarter of the opener against Akron. Epstein has played 13 games over three seasons and rushed for 802 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Epstein started three of the first five games as a freshman in 2017 and was the team's leading rusher before he missed the last seven games with a stress fracture in his right foot. The same injury kept him out of the last five games in 2018. - AP College Football

(DS#999 RB) rSr/2022

RB Mike Epstein, Illinois
News Source: AP College Football
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08/31/19 - Brandon Peters, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-5, 228 (DS#15 QB) + More +

In his Illinois debut on Saturday, quarterback Brandon Peters showed more than 30,000 Illini fans that he can pass and run and do both pretty well. Peters, a graduate transfer from Michigan, went 14 of 23 for 163 yards and three touchdowns through the air, while running for another touchdown to lead Illinois past Akron 42-3. Peters also rushed six times for 36 yards and showed surprising mobility for a 6-foot-5, 220-pounder known more for his arm than his legs. "Still want to say Brandon isn't a running quarterback?" Illinois coach Lovie Smith joked after the game. "He had a good day for us, I'd say." Peters was decisive all afternoon despite a tendency to overthrow a few balls, and appeared to show few jitters before his first Illinois start. "He's been through a lot, so I was glad to see him go out there, go down the field and boom, score right away," Smith said. "He's a confident guy, just what we're looking for in a quarterback." - AP College Football

(DS#15 QB) rSr/2022

QB Brandon Peters, Illinois
News Source: AP College Football
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08/20/19 - Brandon Peters, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-5, 228 (DS#15 QB) + More +

Former Michigan quarterback Brandon Peters has been named the starter for the season opener Aug. 31 at home against Akron. Peters, a graduate transfer, is a former Mr. Football in Indiana who played 10 games with four starts at Michigan, passing for 680 yards and four touchdowns. He completed 58 of 110 passes in his first two seasons, including a career-high 20 completions for 186 yards in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina. He beat out freshman Isaiah Williams, sophomore Matt Robinson and redshirt freshman Coran Taylor for the starting job.

"We loved Brandon when we got a chance to know him during the recruiting process," coach Lovie Smith said. "Now that we've seen him on the field, he has been everything we though he would be. He has really thrown the ball well and is a better runner than he's given credit for. Most importantly, he has moved into a leadership role for us." Peters transferred to Illinois this summer with two years of eligibility remaining. - AP College Football

(DS#15 QB) rSr/2022

QB Brandon Peters, Illinois
News Source: AP College Football
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07/31/19 - Jack Badovinac, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-1, 303 (DS#103 OG) + More +

2019 PRESEASON PATRIOT LEAGUE FIRST TEAM (SID'S/COACHES): OL: Jack Badovinac, Colgate (Jr.),...All five Colgate offensive linemen earned postseason awards recognition in 2018... First time since 1998 that Raiders landed combined four All-Patriot League selections...Ended season with 20 consecutive starts - most of any returning offensive players...Helped Raiders lead Patriot League in rushing for 11th time in last 12 seasons...Colgate finished at 190.6...Part of Raiders unit that led Patriot League in scoring offense at 27.0 and total offense at 344.3. - Colgate Football

(DS#103 OG) rSr/2022

OG Jack Badovinac, Illinois
News Source: Colgate Football
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07/27/19 - Blake Jeresaty, rSr/2022, Illinois, 6-1, 305 (DS#999 OG) + More +

2019 PRESEASON SOUTHERN CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM (COACHES): OL Blake Jeresaty, Jr., Wofford,...Jeresaty started 12 games at center in 2018...Recorded 68 knockdown blocks on the season...Tied for the team high with seven knockdown blocks in the season opener against The Citadel (9/1). - Wofford Football

(DS#999 OG) rSr/2022

OG Blake Jeresaty, Illinois
News Source: Wofford Football
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