Illinois Football: Two Illini legends don list of top 150 players of all-time

While the Illinois football team wasn’t playing in the National Championship, they did have a few players get some high recognition.

To many fans of the game, Illinois isn’t exactly looked at as a powerhouse program. Over the last 20 years, there hasn’t been a tradition of consistent winning. But that hasn’t always been the case with the Orange and Blue. We were once one of the best teams in the country.

During this era of greatness, there were many talented players who would suit up for the Illini. Two of these all-time greats were recognized on Monday night as part of the 150 greatest players in college football history.

Dick Butkus

The first member of the Illinois football team to check-in on the top 150 college football players of all-time is Dick Butkus.

Butkus was a legend in every form of the word. He played three incredible seasons with the Illini. In 1962, he led the team in interceptions with two on the year. In 1963, Butkus came back and helped lead Illinois to a Big Ten Championship and a Rose Bowl title over Washington 17-7. During his final season with the team, Butkus still managed 132 tackles.

In 1963 and 1964, Butkus was named a consensus All-American at both linebacker and center. He was the heart and soul of this program. He finished with 374 tackles in his three-year career, which ranks No. 9 on the Illinois all-time tackles list. He also dons the all-time single-game tackles list with 23 tackles in a game, which ranks No. 6.

There is no question in my mind that Butkus has earned a top 10 spot on the greatest players list. But is No. 8 high enough? You could make an argument that he deserves to be higher.

Red Grange

The other member of the top 150 college football players of all-time is our beloved running back, Red Grange. He checks-in at No. 6 on this list.

Very few people who live today were alive when Grange was playing college football, and the people who were alive don’t remember him playing because they were infants. Despite the lack of first-hand knowledge of Grange, he was so great that they put him No. 6 all-time.

Honestly, I started writing down every statistical category that Grange’s name appeared in, but that would have been multiple pages. So, I just took some of the highlights of his career with the Illini. Let’s start off with the historical game against Michigan.

In 1924, Grange had one of the best games in college football history. He finished the game carrying the ball 12 times for 212 yards and 5 touchdowns against the Wolverines. For the game, he had 402 all-purpose yards, which ranks No. 1 all-time for the Illini. He also had four touchdowns in the first quarter of that game, which is the most touchdowns in a quarter and a half of football in Illinois history.

When Grange’s time was finished with the Illini, he managed to land on three consecutive consensus All-American lists in 1923, 24 and 25 as a halfback. During the 1923 campaign, Grange helped Illinois to a Big Ten Championship and a National Title. Over the three Grange All-American seasons, the Illini were 19-4-1.

Having Grange No. 6 on the top 150 greatest college football players of all-time might be a little low. But I believe he is finally getting the credit he deserves for such a legendary career.