Nov. 21, 2005

#31 Brian Brosnan
"There are so many great things about Brian I don't know where to start. First off, he has been through the good and bad. Whatever his role was he did it to the best of his ability and would never complain. No one in my mind has worked harder than he has. He gives you everything on the field and carries that over into the class room. It doesn't stop there. He gives you everything as a friend. My only regret I have with Brian is that I wish had gotten to know him sooner. I am going to miss all the seniors but one I am going to miss the most is the one we call "Bob" or "Braz". I wish him the best in the future and can't wait to see how great his life turns out. God has truly blessed him in so many ways and I am just glad to say I am his friend."

- #15 Tim Brasic

#25 James Cooper
"Coop is a preacher's son, he's short, he's got a lot of wisdom, and has great fashion sense. I won't buy clothes without asking him first. He's just going to be a really successful person, a good man. I like being around him, he's funny. He's a great sport - came in as quarterback, moved to tailback, and now to cornerback - he's persevered through a lot of changes and new coaches. In fact he's had a new coach every year he's been here, but he shows that you never give up and have to keep going, and that attitude rubs off on the squad. He's a leader for everyone. Being around him, he brings his faith, to me, a lot. I can talk to him if I ever have any problems because he's been through the same thing. Simply put, he's a great guy on and off the field."

- #34 Jason Davis

#34 Jason Davis
"JD's an animal. When I first met Jason, I came here during spring ball, and he came on the field, head down, a really quiet kid. Then when I got here to the university, it was a complete difference, so outspoken, always making the team laugh, always making us smile. I love having him with the running backs because he brings that same thing to us. When things get rough with football, he relaxes us. Since being here I've developed a special relationship with him. When he's on your side, he's on your side for life. He's very caring, very funny, good-spirited, but it's going to be really different without him next year. I look at him as a brother. I remember one time he and I were going up to Chicago and the whole ride up there, it was one of those times you'll never forget. We laughed the whole time, talked about our futures. It was great. He comes over to my house and eats my food out of the refrigerator and that's okay. I'll miss him a lot, and so will the rest of the team."

- #26 E.B. Halsey

#84 Kendrick Jones
"This is my third season here, and Kendrick's been helping me since day one. I came in as a quarterback, and Kendrick used to always stay after with me and catch extra passes when I was a freshman. Now I'm playing receiver, and when I switched over, he helped me with the transition a great deal - working on the end of my routes, catching the ball, telling me what I have to do on different run plays, how to block it - just helping me as a player. We are going to miss him. He's a big playmaker, a big part of our offense. The senior leadership too - in the lockerroom and outside - he shows a great deal of confidence and leadership all the time. In camp he used to rap all the time. He'd always be rapping and jumping around in camp, keeping everyone loose. He's from East St. Louis, so he used to rap to Nelly all the time. He's not too bad, but he's more funny. Kendrick's a really silly guy, so it's funny seeing him rap. He's always joking with people about their hair because after practice ours is always a mess, but he brags about how he's still got his waves."

- #8 DaJuan Warren

#10 Kyle Kleckner
"Kyle was my roommate my freshman year- and he's been my best friend since then. If it wasn't for Kyle, I probably wouldn't be where I am today, or here at school. I was immature as a freshman, missing meetings and stuff, but Kyle motivated me to get up and go, and shape up. He's a guy that I will be best friends with until I'm 60 years old, coming back and going to games with. He's a loyal guy, and I know I can always count on him, even if it's just for a ride somewhere. He's a great leader--on and off the field. Kyle's the best athlete I've ever met, in fact. A three-sport all-around athlete in high school, a phenomenal athlete, he's got all the intangibles--great hands, great feet, great speed, and most of all a great athletic mind. He's going to be a very successful person. He's very mature with his money, time, and has a great family who's always there for support--his family is like my second family--his dad is my second dad. If I could be anyone on the team I'd want to be him, I admire him a lot, as a lot of other guys on the team do."

- #37 Steve Weatherford

#97 Ryan Matha
"When was in rookie camp I roomed with Ryan Matha for three days before the "vets" arrived. Little did I know over the next five years Ryan would become one of my best friends. Ryan and I have been roommates for three years and I can not put into words what his friendship means to me. He is a guy that no matter what happens, good or bad, he will always be by your side and support you. Ryan came to UI as an undersized 250-pound defensive lineman, but through hard work and perseverance he has made a name for himself on the football field. He has been a four-year starter and two-year captain because he is a tireless worker and he is one of the toughest teammates I have had over the last nine years. During his second year he suffered a knee injury, and the doctors told him he would never play again, but that wasn't an option for Ryan. After two different surgeries and many months of rehab, he was able to overcome the odds and become a mainstay on the Illinois defensive line. When I think back on his playing career what I will remember most is a guy that lined up every play and gave his all. I think the saddest part about leaving here is knowing that you won't be with your teammates in the weightroom, in the locker room, on the practice field or during the games again. However, I know that Ryan will be my teammate and best friend for life. Ryan I wish you the best of luck in everything you do and you know if you need anything, I'll be there for you."

- #10 Kyle Kleckner

#90 Scott Moss
"Scott and I were opponents in junior high and high school, but we have been teammates and roommates for the last four years. He was always a reserved guy, until we became roommates freshman year. We got to know each other very well and I found he is a very charismatic person. He has grown to be one of my best friends over these last four years. He has always been there for me to be the voice of reason and I don't think I would be the person I am today if he wasn't around. I have to say, I'm glad I don't have to tackle him any more because he outweighed me by about 50 pounds. He plays football just like he acts, he's not very vocal on the outside but he is giving more effort than anyone could ever know on the inside. Scott will be successful at anything he wants to do after his career at Illinois because of this outstanding character."

- #36 Josh Tischer

#72 Kyle Schnettgoecke
"When Kyle took his official visit to the University of Illinois I did not know much about him. I knew that he was a stud lineman from my hometown and that he made life a living hell for my football team when we played him, but I knew nothing about the type of person he was. Five years later, I now call him my best friend. I know all about his love for shoes, Pez, David Lee, cleanliness, and that he allegedly used to be able to dunk a basketball. I honestly feel that you will not find a more "stand-up guy" on this planet. If I were to ever start a football team, I would want every player to go about their business the way that Kyle has for the past five years. Kyle was a guy that everyone liked to be around. He always had a way of making you smile, but on the other hand, he could tick you off just enough to push you through whatever drill you were doing. The Illini football team improved because of Kyle. I must steal a line from my father that he states is the best compliment a man can give to another man, "Kyle is the type of guy you would want your daughter to marry." The world is a better place because of guys like Kyle. I wish I could have been there with you this year, "Schnetty". It has been an honor and pleasure to call you a teammate, roommate, and best friend."

- 2004 Alum Mark Kornfeld

#99 Dominic Shafer
"There is so much you can say about a person like Dom, he has been a great teammate and a loyal friend for these past years. I will never forget how many times Dom made totally ridiculous bets against someone with no chance of winning and, of course, he would have to hand over a couple of bucks after he lost. I noticed that Camp Rantoul was much easier to get through when you had Dom to cheer you up every day. Dom is the kind of guy you could go to if you were feeling down--he was always a punch line away from making you smile. Dom is a valuable member of this team and a great friend and we will all miss him after he moves on in his life."

- #40 Justin Kovach

#36 Josh Tischer
"Josh Tischer has heart; he is passionate about the game of football. I've known Tisch since junior high. We were rivals in high school and roommates now. From day one, Josh has been a competitor. Tisch is a leader on this team and always into the game, no matter what his role. He probably knows more about defense than any other player. Tisch yells so loud, for so long, that he always loses his voice after a game. He is willing to spend the extra time to find an edge to overcome obstacles in his life, such as broken ribs, sprained shoulders, pulled hamstrings, a broken thumb, and the occasional cranial injury. As a person, Josh is a great guy, always smiling and laughing. He is the brother I never had. He makes other people love the game he loves, which is why he will make a great coach. Everyone on the team knows he is also passionate about hunting and fishing and he's always trying to make me like outdoor sports, too. Those close to Josh know that he gives all that he has for them, especially this team."

- #90 Scott Moss

#20 Morris Virgil
"I've known Morris since I got here my freshman year. One thing that stands out is that he's a good Xbox player. He plays all the video games, especially Madden and NCAA, and he's good. He and I usually get into it with that and I've beat him a couple times but he'd never admit that to anyone. Being his roommate, I always hear his raps every Friday night, which is alway good for a laugh. Morris is genuinely a good guy. He's a hard worker, he always gives 110 percent, he's encouraging and helps everybody out. He's been through a lot to get to this point and that is a testament to what kind of person he is. He came here as a running back but with guys like E.B. and Pierre coming in he was asked to make a switch to defense and he has molded into that role really well. He's a natural hitter and explodes into every ball carrier that he hits. Being in the secondary with him, we've become close. Him not being here next year, it's just like your brother leaving. We'll just have to feed off of what he's done, remeber his intensity and just keep building."

- #42 Kevin Mitchell

#37 Steve Weatherford
"Steve is a great leader. He has all the experience and has been in all the situations I have or will be in on the field. He knows how to handle them, and guides me through doing the same. He's a great person for the specialists--who better to learn from than one of the best kickers in the nation. He's a naturally funny guy, always making us laugh, and really helps me mentally. If I miss a field goal, he'll be there to get me back on track and re-focus, especially with kicking being so mental. He also helps me with my techniques. I'll definitely miss him a lot next season. He makes me laugh, but I'll really miss how much he's helped me get better as an athlete. He's not just a teammate, he's a friend. "

- #13 Jason Reda

#28 Travis Williams
"Travis is a great guy. When I was coming off my injuries, he had just overcome a year or two of injuries himself so he helped me through that. Just being in the locker room with him was real inspirational, knowing that he had been through the same thing and had overcome it. He was one of the guys who told me to keep my head up and to keep going hard every day. That's just the kind of guy he is. He's always trying to uplift our spirits no matter how he's doing that day. He's a very knowledgeable guy, the kind of guy who can get in and play multiple positions, and we've used him like that throughout the two years I've been here. He's played corner, he's played safety, he's played nickel back. We'll definitely miss him in the secondary next year."

- #32 Justin Harrison