Captain Chronicles | 'I Want to Leave a Legacy': Randolph Jr. Takes on Captain Role in Fifth Season at Illinois

Keith Randolph Jr. dreamed of playing in the pros. A two-time Illinois state champion during his high-school career, Randolph Jr. believed he had what it took to not only play at the college level, but to compete amongst the best in the world at the professional level, too.

In basketball, that is.

“He was always the hardest-working player on the floor, knew how to defend well, rebounded very well, and ran the floor well,” said his father, Keith Randolph Sr. “Athletically, he could move with the ball. He was just one of those guys. He would jump on the floor for that loose ball. He would go for the 50/50 ball. He did not care if his body was on the floor. He used every opportunity to get the basketball and score. 

"He was that type of player. He was never a prolific scorer. Could he score the ball? Yes, but he was the kind of guy who wanted the ball scored, and he would do whatever it took to get that done.”

Randolph Jr. began his basketball career when he was just five years old, and he continued to play through middle and high school. Comparing his build and style of play to Draymond Green, Randolph Jr. was not heavily recruited in basketball and remembers being emotional after competing for the final time as a senior at Belleville West High School, a game that just so happened to be the school’s second straight state title.

“I cried like a baby. I did not necessarily cry because I was sad, but I had tears of joy,” Randolph Jr. said. “I played the sport I loved for so long, but now I had to transition to something else.”

That “something else” turned out to be football, a sport in which he has since earned All-Big Ten honors and national recognition. After first giving football a try as a 10-year-old, Randolph quit after only a few weeks, and he did not pick it back up until his junior year of high school. Growing up outside of St. Louis, Randolph Jr. used to be a big St. Louis Rams fan, and he remembers going to games with his parents.

He initially never considered playing in the NFL. It took a lot of constant nudging from his dad to even play football again, but Randolph Jr. finally opted to give it another shot. He needed just one practice to see that decision pay off, as he earned his first college scholarship offer after only one day.

“It was my first day of pads in high school. We were doing one-on-one drills and scrimmaging a little bit, and one of the Lindenwood coaches was out there,” Randolph Jr. said. “I guess I was a natural ballplayer. I was doing things I didn't even know that I could do. I was showing flashes. The only coach out there saw that, and he was like, ‘I know this is your first time, but I want to give you a scholarship offer.’ Then, my high-school coach came and told me afterwards. He was like, ‘Yeah, he wanted to give you an offer before you got too big time.’

Keith Randolph Sr. was far from surprised to see his son dominate so quickly, especially after encouraging – and, admittedly, pestering – him for years to give football another shot. After coaching his son a lot earlier on in his athletic career, Randolph Sr. was excited and overcome with emotion as his son started receiving the praise he rightfully deserved.

“I knew he would have some success putting his hands in the dirt. He has always been a hard worker. He's tough. He has always been a hard-working kid. He's very athletic,” Randolph Sr. said. “When he got that first offer, even though it was a small school, I was excited. I was like, 'OK, we're getting something here. Somebody's actually paying attention to your talent, they understand how hard you work, and they see how massive you are. You're going to do big things on the football field.'"

College offers soon started rolling in. Playing as a lineman on both sides of the ball at the age of 10 due to his size, Randolph Jr. knew he wanted to focus on defensive line, a position at which he became heavily sought after. Though he also tried getting snaps at tight end, he knew D line was where he was most comfortable. And, more importantly, most dominant.

Gaining attention from institutions across the country, Randolph Jr. enjoyed the recruitment process, which gave him the opportunity to choose from several options where he wanted to continue his athletic and academic careers.

“I loved every second of it,” Randolph Jr. said. “That's something kids always dream of. I dreamed of it in basketball. I wanted to have 100 offers in basketball. I was just so happy, so full of joy. Everybody wants D1 offers. Everybody wants to go play Division I. I was just so happy.”

Randolph Jr. ultimately decided to stay close to home and committed to Illinois after his senior football season in high school. Opting to represent the Fighting Illini over a plethora of other Division-I options, Randolph Jr. arrived in Champaign as a freshman during the summer of 2019, just two years after he decided to give the sport another try.

Playing in four games during the 2019 season, Randolph Jr. redshirted the season, though he totaled seven tackles across his limited appearances. The following season, COVID hit, which forced the Illini to lock down and increase safety and health precautions within the program. In the shortened 2020 campaign, Randolph Jr. played in five of the team’s eight games, tallying eight tackles and a pass breakup.

In his third year with the Orange and Blue, head coach Bret Bielema took over and brought in a new staff to turn the program around. Randolph Jr. became a big piece of that puzzle on the personnel side, making 10 starts while registering 42 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception. He ultimately earned All-Big Ten honorable-mention status for the first time in his career, and it was only at this point that Randolph Jr. first started to seriously consider a future in the NFL.

Randolph recalls one specific play during practice that season that truly changed his mindset: a one-on-one matchup with former Illini captain and current Arizona Cardinals center Doug Kramer. Beating his man and leaving the four-year starter on his butt, Randolph Jr. knew the tide was turning.

“That was when I knew I could probably play in the NFL,” Randolph Jr. said. “I was third on the depth chart. I was behind seniors, but I was like, ‘It's my junior year. I have to make something change. I have to do something.’ When we got the new staff, I felt like I had a clean slate to be able to start over fresh. I was like, ‘If I'm starting over fresh, I want to make it the best it can be. I want to make an early impression.’ I just wanted to leave a great early impression, and I feel like I did that.”

Randolph Jr. took another step forward in 2022, earning all-conference third-team honors as one of the most productive members of the best defenses in the country. Randolph finished his year with career-highs in nearly every statistical category, including games played (13), tackles (53), tackles for loss (13), and sacks (4.5).

Faced with the decision of returning for a fifth season or taking a chance and entering the NFL Draft, Randolph Jr. opted to continue his legacy in Champaign and represent the Orange and Blue for another year.

He immediately reaped the benefits of returning. Voted a team captain for the first time in his career in August, Randolph Jr. earned a spot on several watch lists, including the Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award, Nagurski Award, and Outland Trophy.

“It means a lot. It's such a blessing. There are no words to describe it,” Randolph Jr. said. “It's such an honor to represent this university and be a captain. My time at Illinois has been like a movie. It's been like a dream. To know that the team voted for me makes it so much better."

Having been by his son’s side every step of his journey, Randolph Sr. makes it a priority to make the three-hour drive from Belleville to Champaign for every home game. He passionately watches and supports from the stands at Memorial Stadium and makes his presence and energy felt in Grange Grove as the team comes through during Illini Walks.

“It's just God's grace that gave him the opportunity to be in this position,” Randolph Sr. said. “I feel like doing cartwheels and backflips. When you talk about Keith Randolph Jr., you are talking about, if not the hardest, one of the hardest workers who is ever going to give you full effort. He’s going to give you everything he's got. That's the Randolph in him. He's going to do everything he can. That's just who he is and what he is. He deserves it. He was made for it. He was fit for a captain spot. He's a motivator. He's going to make you smile. He's going to make you mad. He's going to make you work harder. He's going to hold you to that standard. The way he works, you're going to look at him, and he's going to motivate you to work harder. You can either try to outwork him or get on the level he's on.

“When we talk about dreams, this is one of those dreams that I'm still living and I have not woken up yet. I haven't woken up from it. It feels like yesterday when I was dropping him off at the campus. To watch where he is nowadays, I just can't believe it's happened the way it's happened and the success of it. I sit in those stands, watch him play, and watch where he's come from to where he is now, it's just one of those dreams I haven't woken up from yet. I'm living in the moment. I haven't grown out of it yet. I’m happy for him, and I’m proud of the accomplishments he’s made.”

While Randolph Sr. is proud of his son’s impact on the field, he is equally impressed by the work he does in the community. Randolph Jr. knows part of his legacy is about giving back, and he served as a local flag football coach in a youth flag league over the summer. While teammate Isaiah Williams coached the offense, Randolph Jr. guided the defense. He says he was “a jokester coach,” but he also tried to bring some seriousness and instill a sense of passion, enjoyment, and fun for the sport he has grown to love.

Knowing how far he has come over the course of his football journey, from a 10-year-old who did not enjoy the sport to a two-time All-Big Ten defensive lineman, Randolph Jr. is all about being a presence for the kids who wear his jersey and look up to him in the community.

Though Randolph Jr. traded the hardwood for the gridiron, he looks to build on a legacy that already includes two All-Big Ten seasons, two bowl berths, a spot on one of the greatest Illini defenses of all time, and a key piece of the resurgent Illinois football team.

He is not done yet, and he cherishes every time he gets to represent the Orange and Blue in his fifth year with the program.

“I had offers from a lot of different schools, a lot of big schools, but anybody can go to a winning program, a big school, join in with them, be on a good team, but I'm really big into leaving some type of legacy,” Randolph Jr. said. “I'm really big on trying to build stuff up. That's always been my thing. I was like, ‘Illinois hasn't been good for a long time. I want to come in and try to change it.'"