Rosemont, Ill. – P Blake Hayes and K James McCourt earned All-Big Ten honors the conference announced Thursday. Hayes was named to the Third Team by the media and an honorable mention by league coaches. He was also announced as Illinois' Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree. McCourt was named an honorable mention by both coaches and the media.
On Wednesday the Big Ten announced 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.
Earlier in the week the Big Ten announced 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.
All-Big Ten Special Teams Honorees
P Blake Hayes (3rd team media and HM coaches + Sportsmanship Award)
- Fourth career All-Big Ten honor (2019 consensus first team, 2018 third team media and honorable mention coaches, 2017 honorable mention media)
- Leader in Illini career punting yardage with 10,811 yards
- Averaging 17 yards per carry after two successful fake punts at Nebraska 11/21/20 and at Northwestern 12/12/20
- Top NFL Draft punting prospect in the nation by Mel Kiper
- USA TODAYÂ Preseason All-American second team
- Campbell Trophy semifinalist
- First career All-Big Ten honor
- Hit game winning field goal at Rutgers, 11/14/20 to give the Illini their first win of the season
- Named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after the Rutgers game
- Named one of the Stars of the Week by the Lou Garza Award after game winning field goal at Rutgers 11/14/20
Full List of Illini All-Big Ten Honorees
OL Kendrick Green » First Team All-Big Ten (coaches and media)
DL Owen Carney » Second Team All-Big Ten (coaches and media)
RB Chase Brown » Second Team All-Big Ten (coaches), Third Team All-Big Ten (media)
LB Jake Hansen » Second Team All-Big Ten (media), Third Team All-Big Ten (coaches)
P Blake Hayes » Third Team All-Big Ten (media), Honorable Mention (coaches) + Sportsmanship Award
RB Mike Epstein » Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
OL Doug Kramer » Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
OL Vederian Lowe » Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
K James McCourt » Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
DL Roderick Perry » Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
