Illinois Football: Top 10 Illini Quarterbacks of All-Time
Illinois football was struggling mightily in the mid-to-late 1990’s. That is when Ron Turner took over the program.
Turner struggled through his first two seasons but then a golden goose popped up in the form of Kurt Kittner.
Kittner’s first season under center was magical. The Illini finished with an 8-4 record and beat Virginia in the Micron PC Bowl.
That season Kittner threw for 2,702 yards and 25 touchdowns.
The following season, Illinois tried to duplicate that success but failed. They finished 5-6 and missed a bowl game.
Kittner finished that 2000 season with 1,982 yards and 18 touchdowns.
In Kittner’s final season with the program, Illinois flourished. They won the Big Ten with a 10-2 record and made it all the way to the Sugar Bowl against LSU.
2001 was the best season that Kittner had in college. He threw for 2,994 yards and 23 touchdowns. This goes down as one of the best seasons ever for an Illini quarterback.
Kittner had such a good career with the Illini that NFL scouts took notice.
The Atlanta Falcons selected Kittner in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
Kittner would go on to play in NFL Europe where he would win the World Bowl title with the Amsterdam Admirals. His running back on the team was Jarrett Payton, Walter Payton’s son.
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