2015 Football Roster
Jersey Number 6
Josh Ferguson
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-10 / 200
- Position:
- RB
- Hometown:
- Naperville, Ill.
- High School:
- Joliet Catholic
Career Highlights
- Ended 2015 as only active FBS player with 2,500+ rush & 1,500+ rec. yards in career
- Second on UI career all-purpose yards list (4,474)
- Sixth on UI career rushing list (2,586)
- Third on UI career receptions list (168)
- Tied for seventh on UI career touchdowns list (26)
- UI record holder for career receptions by a RB (168)
- UI record holder for career receiving yards by a RB (1,507)
2015 Senior
- All-Big Ten third team by coaches and media
- All-Big Ten third team selection by the coaches and media
- Nine games started at running back (missed three due to injury)
- 129 carries, 708 yards and three rushing touchdowns in 2015
- Led the team in rushing yards per game (78.7)
- 37 receptions, 280 yards and two receiving touchdowns in 2015
- Fourth on the team in receptions and receiving yards
- 100-yard rushing games against North Carolina (138), Purdue (133) and Minnesota (105)
- Seven receptions for 100 yards vs. Northwestern
- Receiving touchdowns against Kent State and Purdue
- Illini Team Captain and Offensive Player of the Year
- Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List
2014 Junior
- Played in all 13 games making nine starts
- Led the team in rushing attempts (146), yards (735) and touchdowns (8), second on the team in receptions (50) and third in receiving yards (427)
- Led team in all-purpose yards (1,162) and scoring (60 points)
- Recorded 15 carries for 95 yards and two TDs, and added 37 yards on two catches in the win at Northwestern
- Had a career day against Texas State, recording career highs in rushing yards (190), all-purpose yards (233) and total touchdowns (3 - two rushing, one receiving)
- Notched a go-ahead 15-yard touchdown catch with 8:50 left in the fourth quarter against Youngstown State
- Named to Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch list
2013 Sophomore
- Ranked second in FBS in receiving yards per game by a running back with 44.6
- Ranked ninth in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards per game (112.6)
- Rushed for 779 yards on 141 carries (5.5 ypc) and seven touchdowns, while catching 50 passes for 535 yards (10.7 ypc) and four touchdowns
- Led the team with 11 total touchdowns
- Earned Illinois Point Award as top Offensive Big Skill Player at annual postseason banquet
- Totaled 17 plays of 20 yards or more: nine rushes and eight receptions
- Ranked second on the team in receiving yards (535) and receiving touchdowns (4)
- Set the Illinois single-season record for receiving yards by a running back with 535
- Had 20 carries for 115 yards rushing, both career-highs at the time, at Purdue
- Had 196 scrimmage yards and recorded his first career rushing TD at Nebraska
- Had 148 all-purpose yards against Miami (Ohio), 71 rushing and 77 receiving, including a 15-yard touchdown catch
- Scored his first career touchdown on a 53-yard reception against Southern Illinois and notched his first career 100-yard receiving game with 103 yards
2012 Redshirt Freshman
- Played in 10 games, making six starts
- Rushed for 312 yards on 75 carries (4.2 ypc) and had 29 receptions for 251 yards on the season
- Also returned 19 kicks for 344 yards (18.1 ypr), with a long of 37
- Led the team in all-purpose yards with 907 (90.7 ypg)
- Threw a 22-yard touchdown pass and registered 27 receiving yards on three catches against Penn State
- Recorded a career-high 10 catches for 84 receiving yards, had seven carries for 27 rushing yards and returned four kicks for 69 yards, totaling 180 all-purpose yards against Louisiana Tech
- Rushed for 101 yards on 14 carries, including a 51-yard run, and had 203 all-purpose yards at Arizona State
- Made his first-career start in win over Western Michigan
2011 Freshman
- Played in the first three games before suffering a hamstring injury and missing the last 10 games of the season
- Received a medical hardship waiver
- Made his Illini debut against Arkansas State, gaining 15 yards on six carries and catching one pass for four yards
High School
- A three-star recruit by Rivals.com
- Chicago Tribune first-team All-State selection
- Chicago Sun-Times All-Area selection
- MVP of the East Suburban Catholic League
- Joliet Herald News Co-MVP and Player of the Year in 2010
- Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 5A All-State
- Carried 145 times for 1,868 yards (12.9 yards per carry) and 25 touchdowns for a team that reached the Class 5A quarterfinals and was the 2009 5A state runner-up
- Champaign News-Gazette All-State special mention selection
- All-Midwest selection by PrepStar
- High school coach was Dan Sharp
Personal
- Son of Danielle and Collin Ferguson
- Born on May 23, 1993
- Honor roll student all four years of high school
- Favorite athlete is LaMichael James
- Chose Illinois over Air Force, Ball State, East Carolina, Memphis, Ohio and Toledo
- Majoring in kinesiology
Career Highs
Carries: 20 at Purdue, 11/23/13
Rushing Yards: 190 vs. Texas State, 9/20/14
Long Run: 75 vs. Texas State, 9/20/14
Rushing Touchdowns: 2, three times (last at Northwestern, 11/29/14)
Receptions: 10, twice (last vs. Purdue, 10/4/14)
Receiving Yards: 103 vs. Southern Illinois, 8/31/13
Long Reception: 53 vs. Southern Illinois, 8/31/13
Receiving Touchdowns: 1, seven times (last vs. Kent State, 9/5/15)
Pass Attempts: 1 vs. Penn State, 9/29/12
Pass Completions: 1 vs. Penn State, 9/29/12
Passing Yards: 22 vs. Penn State, 9/29/12
Passing Touchdowns: 1 vs. Penn State, 9/29/12
Kickoff Returns: 5 at Arizona State, 9/8/12
Kickoff Return Yards: 85 at Arizona State, 9/8/12
Long Kickoff Return: 37 at Northwestern, 11/24/12
All-Purpose Yards: 233 vs. Texas State, 9/20/14
Tackles: 1, three times (last at Ohio State, 11/1/14)
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Thursday, March 05
Illinois Football | Bobby Hauck Introductory Press Conference 2/12/26
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Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 2/4/26
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Illinois Football | Xavier Scott Return Announcement Press Conference Press Conference 1/21/26
Wednesday, January 21
