Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

NOV 28 BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sydney Brown, Illinois, DB - Sr. - London, Ontario - St. Stephens Episcopal (Fla.),...Scored two defensive touchdowns (one interception and one fumble), added a second interception and had six tackles (four solos) in Illinois' 41-3 win at Northwestern on Nov. 26...First player in the nation with both a fumble return for a touchdown and an interception return for a touchdown since Kendall Adams for Kansas State in 2017...First player in the nation with two interceptions, one interception return for a touchdown, and one fumble return for a score in the same game since SMU's Kenneth Acker accomplished the feat in 2012...Earns the second Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career and his first of the season...Last Illinois Defensive Player of the Week: Isaiah Gay (Nov. 22, 2021). - Big Ten Football

(DS#2 SS) rSr/2023

SS Sydney Brown, Illinois
News Source: Big Ten Football
Share/Comment: Here

11/28/22 - Sydney Brown, rSr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 211 (DS#2 SS) + More +

NOV 27 WALTER CAMP NATIONAL FBS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: SYDNEY BROWN, ILLINOIS, Senior, Defensive Back, London, Ontario/St. Stephens Episcopal (Fla.),...Sydney Brown recorded 10 tackles (4 solo) and had two interceptions and one fumble recovery as Illinois defeated Northwestern, 41-3. Brown also became the first FBS player to return an interception (38 yards) and fumble recovery (53 yards) for a touchdown in a single game. With the win, Illinois improved to 8-4, 5-3 in the Big Ten. Notes: Sydney Brown is the third Illinois player to earn Walter Camp National Player of Week honors since 2004, joining former Fighting Illini running back Mikel LeShoure (Nov. 21, 2010) and linebacker Jake Hansen (Oct. 20, 2019). - The Walter Camp Football Foundation

(DS#2 SS) rSr/2023

SS Sydney Brown, Illinois
News Source: The Walter Camp Football Foundation
Share/Comment: Here

11/26/22 - Sydney Brown, rSr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 211 (DS#2 SS) + More +

Safety Sydney Brown returned a touchdown and an interception for scores and Illinois snapped a three-game losing streak with a 41-3 rout of Northwestern on Saturday. Brown raced 53 yards for a touchdown after Northwestern quarterback Cole Freeman fumbled, then sprinted in for a 39-yard score off an interception, both in the third quarter. Illinois (8-4 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) entered with a chance to win the Big Ten West and advance to the conference championship for the first time. However, Purdue defeated Indiana 30-16 to win the division title and will play Michigan at Indianapolis next Saturday. Brown's twin brother, running back Chase Brown, punched in a 1-yard touchdown and finished with 61 yards on 19 carries. He entered leading the nation in yards rushing with 1,582 yards but fell short of Mikel Leshoure's single-season school record of 1,697 in 2010.

Tommy DeVito threw for 136 yards on 12-for-18 passing and ran for a touchdown, and Reggie Love III scored on 2-yard touchdown run to get the Illinois offense rolling. Caleb Griffin kicked a pair of field goals as the Illini finished with eight or more wins for the first time since the 2007 Rose Bowl team finished 9-4. The Illini have a winning conference record for the first time since 2007 when they went 6-2. The Illini handed Northwestern its 11th straight loss following a season-opening win over Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland. The Wildcats, 1-8 in the Big Ten, managed only Adam Stage's field goal. The Illini bounced back after a tough 19-17 loss at Michigan last week. Jake Moody made a 35-yard field goal for the Wolverines in that one with nine seconds left, handing Illinois its third straight loss after winning six straight. Illinois led 17-0 at the half on Love's 2-yard TD punch-in, Griffin's 23-yard field goal and De Vito's 1-yard keeper with 1:25 left. - Illinois/AP College Football

(DS#2 SS) rSr/2023

SS Sydney Brown, Illinois
News Source: Illinois/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/31/22 - Tommy DeVito, rSr/2023, Illinois, 6-1, 210 (DS#18 QB) + More +

Illinois' Tommy DeVito had the best completion rate of the season in a game matching FBS opponents, completing 20 of 22 against Nebraska. His 90.9% accuracy also was tops among quarterbacks who have ever visited Lincoln and had a minimum of 20 attempts. DeVito broke his previous career high of 78.1% on 25-of-32 passing against Minnesota on Oct. 15. - AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSr/2023

QB Tommy DeVito, Illinois
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/29/22 - Chase Brown, Sr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 209 (DS#10 RB) + More +

Chase Brown rushed for 149 yards and scored on consecutive series in the second quarter, helping No. 17 Illinois beat Nebraska 26-9 on Saturday. The Illini (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) beat the Cornhuskers for the third year in a row. They won a sixth straight game for the first time since 2011 and secured their first winning regular-season record since 2007. Nebraska (3-5, 2-3) lost quarterback Casey Thompson to an injury in the second quarter. It committed four turnovers and lost its 20th straight against a Top 25 opponent. Illinois' Tommy DeVito was 20 of 22 for 179 yards and two touchdowns. His 91% completion rate was a Memorial Stadium record for visiting quarterbacks with at least 20 attempts. The Illini's top-ranked defense held Nebraska to 29 yards on 20 plays in the second half and 248 for the game, the fewest by the Huskers since they finished with the same number against Michigan State in 2018.

Brown, the national rushing leader, extended his school-record streak of games with at least 100 yards to nine. He scored on a 1-yard run and a 12-yard pass in the second quarter to put Illinois up 20-9 at half. His short TD run came two plays after his twin brother Sydney Brown intercepted Thompson's tipped pass and returned it 37 yards to the Nebraska 11. The Huskers then went three-and-out, and DeVito finished an 11-play, 72-yard drive with his pass to Brown with 23 seconds left in the half. Brown also made a key downfield block to give Isaiah Williams a clear path to the end zone on a 46-yard catch-and-run on Illinois' opening possession. Williams' unforced error in the second half put Nebraska in position to cut into the lead. Williams caught a pass in open field and, untouched, dropped the ball at his 23 for the Illini's first lost fumble in five games. The Huskers gave the ball right back when Sydney Brown picked off his second pass on Chubba Purdy's ill-advised throw into the middle of the field, and they never advanced past their own 26 on their final four possessions. - Illinois/AP College Football

(DS#10 RB) Sr/2023

RB Chase Brown, Illinois
News Source: Illinois/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/24/22 - Nicario Harper, rSr/2024, Illinois, 5-11, 200 (DS#38 FS) + More +

After switching schools for a third time by coming to Louisville, defensive back Nicario Harper has entered the transfer portal, he announced Thursday. Harper was brought to the Cardinals' team in March to be a hybrid player, seeing time at the linebacker, safety and nickelback positions. He played in five games and totaled seven tackles, four of which came in a 35-31 loss to Florida State on Sept. 16. "A lot of people just think I'm just a physical guy, but I want to show also I can cover," he said in August. "I can move around. I can blitz. I can play up top. I can play in a box. I can do everything. That's the kind of player I feel like I am, so I want to I'm glad I got the opportunity to show that this season." Harper transferred from Jacksonville State where he recorded 54 tackles and two interceptions over two seasons. He was an Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honoree, AP All-American first team choice and a Buck Buchannon Award Finalist. The Georgia native started his college career at the University of Southern Mississippi and appeared in nine games as a true freshman in 2018. - Courier Journal

(DS#38 FS) rSr/2024

FS Nicario Harper, Illinois
News Source: Courier Journal
Share/Comment: Here

10/23/22 - Chase Brown, Sr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 209 (DS#10 RB) + More +

It has been an eventful stretch for Chase Brown. The Illinois star became the season's first 1,000-yard rusher in the Football Bowl Subdivision on Oct. 15 and only the third player in program history to reach the milestone in back-to-back years. He was named an Associated Press midseason All-American on Tuesday and the next day the Illini unveiled a "Chasing History" webpage to promote his candidacy for postseason honors. The fifth-year running back is the undisputed headliner of a resurgent Illinois team that, at No. 18, has its highest ranking since 2011 and is first in the Big Ten West. "I wanted this season to be something to remember," Brown said. "Right now we're just over halfway, and I'm not just happy with the wins. Personally, I think we can push this way further than where it is right now. I'm so excited to see where it can end up." Brown managed to rush for 1,005 yards last season despite missing two games because of injury, and he has prioritized taking care of his body with the Illini (6-1, 3-1) relying on him more this year.

He's carrying the ball an average of 10 times more per game, and he set a national single-game high with 41 attempts for 180 yards in a 26-14 win over Minnesota on Oct. 15. He also caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Tommy DeVito in that game. Illinois visits Nebraska this week, and backup running back Josh McCray, injured in the season opener, could be available to take some of the load off Brown. Brown's 1,059 yards rushing and his per-game averages of 27.4 carries and 29.6 scrimmage touches lead the nation. "He's a workhorse man," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said. "Their scheme matches what he does really well, especially their counter game and their power game. He's a special back. He's got speed, twitch, quickness, power. He's got it all." - AP College Football

(DS#10 RB) Sr/2023

RB Chase Brown, Illinois
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/17/22 - Chase Brown, Sr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 209 (DS#10 RB) + More +

OCT 17 BIG TEN CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Chase Brown, Illinois, RB - Jr. - London, Ontario - St. Stephens Episcopal (Fla.),...Rushed for 180 yards against Minnesota, adding to his national leading total of 1,059 and becoming the first running back in the country to reach 1,000 yards rushing this season...Tallied 233 all-purpose yards against the Gophers, pushing his NCAA-leading total to 1,166 yards...Becomes the first Illini back to open a season with eight-straight 100-yard games, moving past Howard Griffith, Rashard Mendenhall, Pierre Thomas, Juice Williams, Mikel Leshoure, and Josh Ferguson to jump from 12th to sixth on the Illinois all-time rushing list...Earns his fourth career Offensive Player of the Week award...Last Illinois Offensive Player of the Week: Chase Brown (Aug. 29, 2022). - Big Ten Football

(DS#10 RB) Sr/2023

RB Chase Brown, Illinois
News Source: Big Ten Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/15/22 - Chase Brown, Sr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 209 (DS#10 RB) + More +

Chase Brown rushed for 180 yards on a career-high 41 carries and caught a 40-yard touchdown pass, Minnesota was limited to its fewest yards in five years, and No. 24 Illinois won its fifth straight game with a 26-14 victory Saturday. The Illini (6-1, 3-1) became bowl eligible for the first time since 2019 and will end the day tied for first in the Big Ten West. Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 127 yards, his nation-leading 14th straight 100-yard game and the bulk of the Gophers' 180 total yards. It was the fewest yards against Illinois by a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since at least 2000.

Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan, held to just 21 yards on 4-for-12 passing, left early in the fourth quarter after taking a hit to the head. Athan Kaliakmanis entered for the Gophers (4-2, 1-2) and was intercepted twice. Illinois quarterback Tommy DeVito, back from an ankle injury that forced him out of last week's game at Iowa in the first half, ran for a 5-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to put the Illini up 20-14. He completed 25 of 32 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown. Brown went over 1,000 yards rushing for a second straight year with his eighth straight 100-yard game. He now has 13 100-yard games, second most at Illinois behind Robert Holcombe's 16 from 1994-97. Brown got wide open on a wheel route for his 40-yard touchdown to finish Illinois' nine-play, 75-yard drive to open the game. Fabrizio Pinton tacked on a 31-yard field goal to give the Illini a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. - Illinois/AP College Football

(DS#10 RB) Sr/2023

RB Chase Brown, Illinois
News Source: Illinois/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/03/22 - John Paddock, rSr/2024, Illinois, 5-11, 193 (DS#58 QB) + More +

OCT 3 MAC WEST DIVISION OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: John Paddock, Ball State, QB, R-Junior, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Bloomfield Hills),...Paddock led the way offensively after throwing 40-of-58 for 403 yards and three touchdowns. It's the most yards thrown by a Cardinal since Drew Plitt had 439 vs. Fordham on Sept. 7, 2019 and the eighth-most passing yards in program history. Paddock captained what was the third-largest comeback in program history, as the Cardinals came back from trailing 21-0 to win 44-38 in two overtimes vs. NIU. After trailing 24-7 at halftime, Paddock went 23-of-34 for 237 yards and two touchdowns and led the offense to score on six of its eight drives in the second half and overtime to highlight the comeback. Paddock connected with nine different receivers, including seven with multiple catches and four with at least six receptions for 70-plus yards. Through five games, Paddock leads the conference and is ninth in the country with 1,538 passing yards and is second in the league with 11 touchdowns through the air. - MAC Football

(DS#58 QB) rSr/2024

QB John Paddock, Illinois
News Source: MAC Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/01/22 - John Paddock, rSr/2024, Illinois, 5-11, 193 (DS#58 QB) + More +

John Paddock passed for 403 yards, Carson Steele's third rushing touchdown was the go-ahead score in the second overtime and Ball State defeated Northern Illinois 44-38 on Saturday after trailing by 17 points at the half. Ball State's win overshadowed a 230-yard, three-touchdown rushing performance by Harrison Waylee of Northern Illinois. After Steele's short touchdown in the second overtime, a sack by Ball State's Cole Pearce left NIU facing fourth-and-19 from the 34-yard line then Ethan Hampton's fourth-down pass was broken up by Tyler Potts.

Paddock completed 40 of 58 passes and threw for three touchdowns. Jayshon Jackson had 10 receptions for 116 yards. Tanner Koziol had two TD catches, including a 6-yarder with 36 second left in regulation as the Cardinals scored 10 points in 3 1/2 minutes to force overtime. As much as Ball State (2-3, 1-1 Mid-American) went to the air, Northern Illinois (1-4, 0-1) kept to the ground. The Huskies had 57 rushes for 332 yards. Both teams missed field goals in the first overtime and Ball State failed on a two-point attempt following Steele's go-ahead touchdown. The Cardinals won the Battle for the Bronze Stalk. The trophy has been awarded to the winner of this matchup since 2008. - Ball State/AP College Football

(DS#58 QB) rSr/2024

QB John Paddock, Illinois
News Source: Ball State/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/01/22 - Chase Brown, Sr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 209 (DS#10 RB) + More +

Chase Brown rushed for 129 yards, Tommy DeVito had three short touchdown keepers and Illinois trounced Wisconsin 34-10 on Saturday to give coach Bret Bielema a triumphant return to Camp Randall Stadium. Illinois (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) scored 17 points off Wisconsin turnovers and scored the game's final 27 points to win as a 6½-point underdog. The Illini sacked Graham Mertz six times and held the Badgers to 2 yards rushing on 24 carries. Bielema had gone 68-24 in seven years as Wisconsin's coach before leaving for Arkansas at the end of the 2012 regular season as the Badgers were preparing for a Rose Bowl appearance. Wisconsin won at least a share of the Big Ten title each of his last three seasons.

He was fired at Arkansas in 2017 after going 29-34 and took over Illinois' program in December 2020. The Badgers won 24-0 at Illinois last season, but this was the first time Bielema had faced Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium. Bielema was the first coach to take an opposing Big Ten team to a school he coached to a Big Ten title since John Pont coached Northwestern in a 1973 game at Indiana. Pont had led Indiana to a share of the 1967 Big Ten crown. Bielema received a smattering of boos when his name was announced in the pregame introductions, though the stands were less than 20% full at that point about half an hour before the 11 a.m. local time kickoff. A much larger crowd showed significantly more displeasure as the Badgers got dismantled for a second straight week. Wisconsin (2-3, 0-2) was coming off a 52-21 loss at No. 3 Ohio State. - Illinois/AP College Football

(DS#10 RB) Sr/2023

RB Chase Brown, Illinois
News Source: Illinois/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/26/22 - John Paddock, rSr/2024, Illinois, 5-11, 193 (DS#58 QB) + More +

SEPT 26 MAC WEST DIVISION OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: John Paddock, Ball State, QB, R-Junior, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Bloomfield Hills),...Quarterback John Paddock had a career day under center with career highs of 338 passing yards and 33 completions in a shootout against Sun Belt contender Georgia Southern. He connected with seven different receivers en route to being the first player in four seasons to complete at least 30 passes in a game at Ball State (Drew Plitt at NC State, Sept. 21, 2019). Paddock is one of just two MAC quarterbacks (Ohio's Kurtis Rourke) to have multiple 300-yard passing games. In fact, Paddock has produced 29 percent of all the MAC's 300-yard performances this season, while leading one of the conference's most outstanding offenses at 441 total offensive yards per game. - MAC Football

(DS#58 QB) rSr/2024

QB John Paddock, Illinois
News Source: MAC Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/26/22 - Chase Brown, Sr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 209 (DS#10 RB) + More +

Illinois' Chase Brown remains the national rushing leader at 151 yards per game after running for a season-low 108 against Chattanooga, and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. is first in passing yards at 347 per game, a half yard ahead of Mississippi State's Will Rogers. SMU's Rashee Rice tops the receiving chart at 141.3 yards per game. - AP College Football

(DS#10 RB) Sr/2023

RB Chase Brown, Illinois
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/23/22 - Chase Brown, Sr/2023, Illinois, 5-10, 209 (DS#10 RB) + More +

Chase Brown became the first Illinois running back to rush for 100-plus yards in five straight games, Tommy DeVito passed for 329 yards and three touchdowns and the Fighting Illini blanked Chattanooga 31-0 on Thursday night. Illinois improved to 3-1 and is off to its best start since 2015. Brown capped a five-play, 64-yard scoring drive with a 9-yard touchdown run after the defense forced Chattanooga (3-1) into a three-and-out on its first drive. He finished with 108 rushing yards on 20 carries and currently leads all FBS rushers with 604 yards through four games. The closest the Mocs came to scoring came early in the second quarter when they drove to the Illinois 16-yard line. Jartavius Martin picked off a Preston Hutchinson pass in the end zone to end the Mocs' threat. The Illini recorded their first shutout since a 2015 win over Western Illinois.

Chattanooga went just 4 of 14 on third downs and gained 142 total yards. Illinois piled up 502 yards of offense. Hutchinson was sacked four times and completed just 6 of 18 passes for 49 yards with two interceptions. Illinois nearly quadrupled Chattanooga's total first-half yardage, 332 yards to 84 yards, and led 24-0 at intermission. Thursday night marked the first time in Illinois football history that two receivers tallied more than 100 receiving yards and a running back ran for more than 100 yards in the same game. Pat Bryant caught six passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, while Isaiah Williams hauled in nine passes for 103 yards and a score. Williams' 63-yard touchdown off a screen pass made it 31-0 with 4:56 left in the third. DeVito became the first Illinois quarterback to pass for more than 300 yards in a game since Brandon Peters threw for 369 yards at Michigan State in 2019. - Illinois/AP College Football

(DS#10 RB) Sr/2023

RB Chase Brown, Illinois
News Source: Illinois/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

Previous 15 Notes

|Back to Page One|

Next 15 Notes

Warning: Undefined array key "TeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 56

Warning: Undefined array key "DSTeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 57

Illinois Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

** Draft Scout Data **
(Everything Online PLUS)

Support Draft Scout

The Database Engine for NFLDraftScout.com, Draft Scout is being repurposed...Support the Future Development of ScoutNation.com...

Draft Scout Archives

** 2010-2022 Draft Scout Archives **
(Yearly Player Data Exports, Prospect Lists & More)

Draft Scout Future

100% Dedicated and Never Done

80% Innovated

45% Hidden

35% Built

2025 CFB/2025-2029 NFL Draft Scout

2024 CFB/2024-2028 NFL Draft Scout

2023 CFB/2024-2027 NFL Draft Scout

NFL Draft Scout History

2022 Draft Scout

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Illinois Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

Support Draft Scout

Draft Scout Archives

Draft Scout Future

Synergization

Did You Know?

Hidden Designs

Future Development