There's a phrase head coach Bret Bielema has repeatedly used when referring to super senior Doug Kramer since he was hired at Illinois: "when Kramer talks, guys listen." As a three-time captain of the Illini, Kramer has earned that acknowledgment, but it's been that way in the lockerroom for quite some time.
While Kramer came to Illinois in 2016, he redshirted the year, taking time to grow into a Big Ten offensive lineman. But once he became a starter in 2017, guys knew he would be a leader for years to come.
As Kramer's best friend and roommate since freshman year, Illini kicker James McCourt has seen Kramer's leadership develop firsthand.
"It's probably his demeanor; he's very calm, level-headed," McCourt said. "He's doesn't let the highs get too high or the lows get too low. He's very even keeled. And I think that's important for a captain. He doesn't talk probably too much, but you don't really have to when you're a leader. But when he talks everyone listens because of how he carries himself and he's organized. You know when he does something, he does it to his full potential and at 100%. Whether it's in the weight room, classroom, football field, meeting room, it's always undivided attention to detail. And I think that's important that people take note of that."
Kramer's personal growth on the football has been instrumental to Illinois' offense, but his desire to help his teammates achieve that same level of success is even more impactful. Offensive line transfers Blake Jeresaty and Jack Badovinac have both spoken about how Kramer helped them learn the playbook when they came in while also making them feel like "one of the guys."
It's not just his position group, though. Kramer will go out of his way to spend extra time with guys like Brandon Peters, Artur Sitkowski, Chase Brown and Josh McCray to make sure everyone is on the same page.
While he's been that way for awhile, Kramer's leadership has taken a bigger leap since meeting Bielema, someone he admires as a great leader. For Kramer, hearing the confidence Bielema has voiced in him since day one has been crucial.
"That means a ton," Kramer said. "I think it shows that we made the right decision coming back. Having Coach B believe in me is awesome. To hear those words is great, because he's one of the best leaders I've ever been around. So, a lot of things that I try to do is kind of mimicking the situations that I've seen him handle. I've definitely learned a ton from him. So, it's awesome to hear."
Being a captain of the Fighting Illini is also a lifelong dream come true. Both of Kramer's parents went to the university, so he was born an Illini. He still remembers attending games as a young kid, when his room was decked out in orange and blue. Kramer had big aspirations to play in Memorial Stadium one day.
While it's obvious that dream came true, it also blossomed into something much more than just playing for Illinois. Kramer has been the backbone of the team for years and will certainly leave a legacy behind.
"It holds a lot of weight for sure," Kramer said. "It's one of the biggest honors in my life, it's something that I dreamed about, being a captain here. So for my teammates to pick me it means a ton. It means everything to me, means a lot to me and my family as well. And it carries a great deal of weight. You know that there's a lot of responsibility on the captains to be vocal, especially with this new staff. It's something that's Coach B talks about all the time. But I think just really holding people accountable on and off the field and knowing that everyone's looking at you for to set the example for the program. So, you got to be on it in the classroom, off the field and on the field as well."
The impact Kramer has had on his team the past six years goes beyond football. When McCourt became an Illini, he didn't know much about the university let alone the sports culture in Champaign. But when he was paired to live with Kramer in Bromley Hall, that changed.
McCourt remembers Kramer teaching him all about the history of the school, pointing out the famous Illini basketball teams and the different eras of Illinois football. He helped McCourt get acquainted with campus and turned him into an Illinois fan before McCourt ever played a game.
The two have lived together ever since and McCourt knows they will remain close after they both graduate this year. McCourt said he will miss just hanging out with Kramer whether that's going golfing, playing video games together or just getting food. But he's also eager to see Kramer's dedication to football pay off in the near future.
"Doug is an unbelievable human being, one of the hardest working guys I know," McCourt said. "And I've seen him progress through the five years, his hard work pay off and pay dividends. And it's pretty cool because I didn't really know anything a lot about the University of Illinois coming in here. And Doug's been a lifetime fan. So he kind of showed me the ropes…. Obviously with football, you can tell he's grown physically, kid's huge now, but mentally, he's insanely strong. He's a really good leader and he always has been."
Kramer has spent the last six years at Illinois, but he's just weeks away from finally moving on and pursuing an even bigger dream of playing in the NFL. He certainly has the resume to do so as he was highly regarded in the preseason, being selected to watch lists for the Rimington Award, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi. He was also rated the No. 7 NFL Draft center prospect in the nation by Mel Kiper.
But the Illini captain has yet to reflect on his time as an Illini coming to an end. Whether it's everyone hanging out in the lockerroom, hearing Bielema crack jokes in meetings or being on the field with his best friends, Kramer is still soaking in every last moment.
"It's an awesome experience and it's something that you can't take for granted," Kramer said. "Everyone came back together, which is awesome. I think it shows that the family manta is more than that, the players really feel it. And especially with this new coaching staff, they preach it every single day and we can definitely feel that. But that's something we wanted to do is come back all together and I'm glad it's happened and glad to finish it off here."
