Big Ten Release | 2016 All-Big Ten Teams
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Senior defensive ends Dawuane Smoot and Carroll Phillips were named All-Big Ten honorees, the conference announced Tuesday on Big Ten Network. Senior linebacker Hardy Nickerson and sophomore linebacker Tré Watson were picked as honorable mention All-Big Ten.
Phillips was a first-team choice by the media and honorable mention selection by the coaches. He is the first Illini player to be named All-Big Ten first team since WR A.J. Jenkins and DE Whitney Mercilus in 2011.
Smoot was named to both the media and coaches third teams.
Offensive award winners and all-conference teams will be announced Wednesday on Big Ten Network between 4-5 p.m. CT.
Phillips | First Team (media) and Honorable Mention (coaches)
» 56 tackles, 20.0 TFLs, 9.0 sacks, 3 qb hurries, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
» Tied Simeon Rice (1994) and Moe Gardner (1989) for the fifth-most TFLs in an Illinois season (20.0)
» Seventh in the nation, second in the Big Ten in TFLs per game (1.7)
» 26th in the nation, fourth in the Big Ten in sacks per game (0.75)
» Second in the nation in solo TFLs (19)
» 12th in the nation in solo sacks (9)
» Fourth in the Big Ten in TFLs during conference game (11.0)
» Eighth in the Big Ten in sacks during conference games (5.0)
» Career-high 3.5 TFLs vs. North Carolina
» Career-high 2.0 sacks vs. Western Michigan
» Forced fumble at Michigan
» Sack on the final defensive play to clinch the victory over Michigan State
» Hendricks Award final ballot
Smoot | Third Team (coaches and media)
» 56 tackles, 15.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 10 qb hurries, 1 PBU, 2 forced fumble
» 31st in the nation, sixth in the Big Ten in TFLs per game (1.7)
» Third in the Big Ten in TFLs during conference game (13.0)
» Eighth in the Big Ten in sacks during conference games (5.0)
» Career-high 3.0 TFLs at Iowa and Rutgers
» Career-high 2.0 sacks at Northwestern
» Career-high eight tackles vs. Western Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska
» Safety on a TFL in the end zone against North Carolina
» Tied for sixth in Illinois history with 38.5 career TFLs
» Eighth in Illinois history with 16.5 career sacks
» Hendricks Award final ballot
Honorable Mention Defense
LB Hardy Nickerson » Senior graduate transfer from Cal led Illinois in tackles with 107, while registering 10+ tackles in seven of 12 games. The graduate transfer from Cal, whose father is the Illinois defensive coordinator of the same name, finished his career with 353 career tackles, ranking sixth among active players and second among active FBS tacklers. He had 14 tackles at Michigan in one of his best games of the season and intercepted two passes against Purdue.
LB Tré Watson » RS Sophomore was second on the team with 102 tackles behind only his fellow linebacker Hardy Nickerson. Watson just the third underclassman (freshman/sophomore) to record 100+ tackles in a season since 2000. He also had 4.5 TFLs and forced three fumbles, all during Big Ten play.
