While the Illinois football team moves into a new era, I wanted to stop and say thank you to all of the seniors on this team.
As a player with hopes and aspirations of playing football at the collegiate level, you joined the Illinois football program. You became a part of this team and gave your all in hopes of winning each and every game. For that, I want to say thank you.
I want to start by pointing out a few players who were in this from the beginning.
Jake Hansen. A word to describe the linebacker would be, heart. The leader in tackles for two seasons for the Illini and the anchor for the defense, Hansen gave everything to this program. Not only was he a great player on the field and human off of it, but he also committed to Illinois in the midst of turmoil.
Hansen came into the Illinois program from the class of 2016. The Illini had fired their head coach right before the 2015 season. Interim head coach Bill Cubit signed a two-year contract after the completion of the current campaign. But new AD Josh Whitman made another change and fired Cubit. About a month after national signing day in 2016, Illinois hired Lovie Smith. Hansen still stuck with Illinois, and for that, I want to say thank you.
While Hansen means a lot to this Illinois fan, he isn’t the only player to come to Champaign during the turmoil.
Doug Kramer. A word to describe the center would be, leader. Anchoring the middle of the offensive line, Kramer started nearly 40 games for the Illini during his great career. He could have backed out of his national letter of intent when the coaching change happened back in 2016, but Kramer stuck with the Illini. For that, I want to say thank you.
There is one more player out of the class of 2016 who is still on the Illinois roster.
James McCourt. A word to describe the kicker would be, clutch. McCourt had a tough act to follow with Chase McLaughlin heading to the NFL. The last two years have had some pretty special moments thanks to McCourt, though. None of the moments tops his game-winning kick against No. 6 Wisconsin. This would never have happened had McCourt decided to back away from his NLI to Illinois after the coaching change. He stuck with the Orange and Blue. For that, I want to say thank you.
These are the three holdovers from the class of 2016 who have been through a ton with the Illinois football program. They stayed with this fanbase and we are forever grateful for their dedication to this team. I also want to point out a few seniors who joined the fray later on in the game.
Milo Eifler, Trevon Sidney, Josh Imatorbhebhe, Brandon Peters, Daniel Imatorbhebhe and Roderick Perry, all of you joined the Illinois program at some point in the past few years. You took the leap of faith that Illinois would be the right spot to help your career progress. You wanted to make this team a winner. For that, I want to say thank you.
And, lastly, to the seniors who were a part of a freshman class in 2017 but never redshirted and finished up their senior year in 2020. I am talking about you Tony Adams, Nate Hobbs, Blake Hayes, Kendall Smith, Michael Marchese, Ethan Tabel, Alex Palczewski, Vederian Lowe, Jamal Woods, Isaiah Gay and Owen Carney Jr. You were a big part of the foundation of the team that got back to a bowl game in 2019. There were some players in this class who transferred out, but all of you held strong and finished out for this program. For that, I want to say thank you.
It has been a rough few years for the Illinois football program, but change has happened and success is on the horizon. I wanted to acknowledge the players who have been here with us through it all or decided to join us despite having no reassurance if it is the right move. To everyone who gave me the joy of watching the Illini during the Lovie Smith era, this goes out to you. Thank you.