Rosemont, Ill. – Three Illinois senior defenders garnered All-Big Ten honors, the conference announced Wednesday. DE Owen Carney was a consensus Second Team All-Big Ten, while LB Jake Hansen was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the media and Third Team by coaches. DT Rod Perry was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection.
On Tuesday, five Illini offensive players were named All-Big Ten honorees. OL Kendrick Green was a consensus First Team All-Big Ten selection, while RB Chase Brown earned Third Team All-Big Ten by the media and honorable mention by the league's coaches. RB Mike Epstein, C Doug Kramer, and LT Vederian Lowe were named All-Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and media.
Special teams honors will be released Thursday.
All-Big Ten Honorees
DE Owen Carney Jr. (2nd team coaches and media)
- First career All-Big Ten honor
- Started all seven games at defensive end
- 25 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks, one forced fumble and 2 QB hits this season
- Third in the Big Ten in sacks (5.0) and ranks 10th in TFLs (7.0)
- One of three Big Ten defenders with 3.0 sacks in a game
LB Jake Hansen (2nd team media, 3rd team coaches)
- Second career All-Big Ten honor (2019 honorable mentions by coaches and media)
- Hansen has the #6 tackling grade in the nation according to PFF (min. 350 snaps). He has three missed tackles all season according to PFF.
- Current Big Ten ranks: tied for the B1G lead in forced fumbles, #2 in fumble recoveries, #6 in tackles, #7 in interceptions, #9 in TFLs
- Had four straight games with a forced fumble, fumble recovery or interception
- Seven tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one interception, and one fumble recovery at Nebraska 11/21/20
- Matched career high and lead the team with 15 tackles at Rutgers 11/14/20, along with a sack, one interception, and one pass breakup.
- Top-graded linebacker in Power-5 the week of Nov. 13/14 by PFF (81.3).
- 14 tackles, two TFLs, forced fumble and fumble recovery against Purdue 10/31/20
DT Rod Perry (HM coaches and media)
- First career All-Big Ten honor
- 17 tackles, 2.5 TFL including 2.0 sack for 20 yards and one pass breakup this season
- Was a 2020 Preseason FCS All-American before transferring
- No. 1 graded defensive lineman in the Big Ten on Oct. 23/24 according to Pro Football Focus (74.5)
