Big Ten Release | Big Ten Awards (Part 1) | All-Big Ten (Def & ST)
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Linebacker Dele Harding and punter Blake Hayes both earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and three other Illini defenders/special teams players were named to All-Big Ten teams the conference announced Tuesday on Big Ten Network.
Hayes was voted to the first team by both the coaches and media, in addition to being named the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year, while Harding was voted first team by the media and third team by the leagues coaches. Safety Sydney Brown, DE Oluwole Betiku Jr., and KR Dre Brown were all named third-team honorees, while four more defensive standouts garnered honorable mention status – Jake Hansen (coaches & media), Stanley Green (media), Nate Hobbs (media) and Jamal Milan (media).
All-Big Ten Honorees
P Blake Hayes (1st team media & coaches)
» Eddleman-Fields Big Ten Punter of the Year
» 44.8 yards/punt, #2 in Illini history (45.4 by Steve Weatherford, 2004)
» #2 in the Big Ten and #18 in the nation in punting average
» 28 punts inside the 20, most in a season in Illini history
» Only two touchbacks on the season
» 20 50+-yard punts, tied for most in a season in Illini history
» 13 punts inside the 10, including six downed on the 1- or 2-yard lines
LB Dele Harding (1st team media, 3rd team coaches)
» 147 tackles, 13.0 TFLs, 3 INTs, 3 FF, 1 FR, 2 TDs
» Big Ten leader & second in FBS in tackles (12.3 tpg)
» 13.0 tackles per game in B1G play, 3.7 tpg ahead of second place
» Two touchdowns (INT returns vs. MIN & RUT)
» 147 tackles is tied for 10th- most in program history
» #11 graded linebacker in FBS by PFF (min. 600 snaps)
» #4 graded linebacker in B1G by PFF (min. 600 snaps)
S Sydney Brown (3rd team coaches, HM media)
» 8.0 tackles per game, 3 INT, 2.5 TFL, 1 PBU
» Sixth in the Big Ten in tackles (8.0 tpg)
» First among B1G safeties in interceptions and tackles
DE Oluwole Betiku Jr. (3rd team media)
» 33 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 8.0 sacks, 7 QBH, 2 FR
» 4th in the B1G & 13th in FBS in sacks per game (0.89)
» 6th in the B1G in TFLs per game (1.28)
KR Dre Brown (3rd team coaches, HM media)
» 26.3 yards per return this season, seventh-best in Illini history
» #1 overall KR grade in B1G by PFF
» #5 overall KR grade in power-five by PFF
» 17th in FBS and 3rd in B1G in KR average
» Team-best 1,188 all-purpose yards
LB Jake Hansen (HM media & coaches)
» 72 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 7 FF, 3 FR
» Butkus Award semifinalist
» National leader in forced fumbles (7)
» Fifth in the nation in fumble recoveries (3)
» #8 graded LB in FBS by PFF (min. 600 snaps)
S Stanley Green (HM media)
» 7.7 tackles per game, 4 FR, 3 FF, 1 INT, 1.5 TFLs
» Leads nation in fumble recoveries (4)
» 9.3 tackles per B1G game, 2nd in conference
» 10 career forced fumbles, 3rd-most in Illini history
CB Nate Hobbs (HM media)
» 58 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 9 PBU, 1 INT, 1 FR, 1 TD
» #5 graded overall CB in B1G by PFF (min. 600 snaps)
» #4 graded tackling CB in B1G by PFF (min. 600 snaps)
DT Jamal Milan (HM media)
» 34 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 QBH, 1 PBU
» Third among B1G defensive tackles in TFLs
Only defense and special teams All-Big Ten honorees were announced on Tuesday. Offensive honors will be revealed Wednesday on Big Ten Network.
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
In addition to the defensive and special teams All-Big Ten awards, senior running back Dre Brown was announced as Illinois' Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree. Brown as the recipient of the team's Bruce Capel Award, which goes to the Illini player who displays the most courage, dedication and accomplishment. Brown was poised for playing time as a true freshmen in 2015 before going down with an ACL injury prior to the season. In all, he missed nearly two-and-a-half seasons after enduring 2 torn ACLs, 2 sprained MCLs, a stress fracture and 4 knee surgeries before making his Illini debut Oct. 7, 2017, at Iowa. He has emerged this year as one of the team's top offensive threats, leading the team with 1,188 all-purpose yards while rushing for 545 yards and five touchdowns.
