Skip To Main Content

University of Illinois Athletics

Illini Football - National, Big Ten and Team Honors

Last updated following the 2015 season

Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker)
Year Award Winner
1994 Dana Howard
1995 Kevin Hardy

Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end)
Year Award Winner
2011 Whitney Mercilus

Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award (Big Ten MVP)
Year Award Winner Pos.
1924 Red Grange HB
1946 Alex Agase OG
1959 Bill Burrell OG
1963 Dick Butkus LB
1965 Jim Grabowski FB
1983 Don Thorp DT
2007 Rashard Mendenhall RB

Dave McClain Coach of the Year (chosen by writers and broadcasters)
Year Award Winner
1983 Mike White
1988 John Mackovic 
1989 John Mackovic
2001 Ron Turner (unanimous)
2007 Ron Zook

UPI Big Ten Coach of the Year
Year Award Winner
1983 Mike White
1988 John Mackovic 

Big Ten Lineman of the Year (chose by Big Ten media)
Year Award Winner
1989 Moe Gardner, NT
1994 Simeon Rice, LB

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year
Year Award Winner
2007 Rashard Mendenhall, RB (coaches and media)

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
Year Award Winner
1990 Darrick Brownlow, LB (media)
1990 Moe Gardner, NT (coaches) 
1993 Dana Howard, LB (coaches and media)
1994 Dana Howard, LB (coaches and media)

Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Year Award Winner
1992 Simeon Rice, RLB (media)
2007 Arrelious Benn, WR (coaches and media)

Illinois Most Valuable Player

The Fighting Illini Most Valuable Football Player is selected each year by a vote of team members. The following is a list of Illinois’ MVPs since 1930.

Illinois Most Valuable Player
Year MVP Pos.
1930 Stan Bodman G
1931 Fred Frink E
1932 Gil Berry HB
1933 Dave Cook FB
1934 Les Lindberg HB
1935 Ed Gryboski G
1936 Cliff Kuhn G
1937 Jack Berner QB
1938 James Hodges G
1939 Bill Lenich D
1940 George Bernhardt FB
1941 Nate Johnson T
1942 Elmer Engle E
1943 Eddie Bray HB
1944 Buddy Young HB
1945 Mac Wenskunas C
1946 Alex Agase G
1947 Ike Owens E
1948 James Valek E
1949 John Karras HB
1950 Tony Klimek E
1951 Charles Boerio LB
1952 Al Brosky HB
1953 Don Ernst T
1954 Jack Chamblin C
1955 Em Lindbeck QB
1956 Dave Walker G
1957 Ron Hanson E
1958 Gene Cherney C
1959 Bill Burrell G
1960 Joe Rutgens T
1961 Tony Parrilli G
1962 Ken Zimmerman HB
1963 Dick Butkus C
1964 Dick Butkus C
1965 Jim Grabowski FB
1966 Ron Guenther G
1967 John Wright E
1968 Rich Johnson FB
1969 Doug Dieken E
1970 Doug Dieken E
1971 Terry Masar P-HB
1972 Larry McCarren C
Larry Allen DE
1973 Eddie Jenkins HB
Octavus Morgan DE
1974 Tom Hicks LB
Jeff Hollenbach QB
1975 Stu Levenick OT
Bruce Beaman DB
1976 Jerry Finis OT
Scott Studwell LB
1977 John Sullivan LB
James Coleman TB
1978 John Sullivan LB
Randy Taylor C
1979 Lawrence McCullough QB
1980 Dave Wilson QB
1981 Tony Eason QB
Kelvin Atkins OLB
Ron Ferrari OLB
Dan Gregus DT
Mike Bass K
1982 Tony Eason QB
1983 Don Thorp DT
1984 David Williams WR
1985 David Williams WR
1986 Keith Jones RB
1987 Darryl Usher WR
1988 Keith Jones RB
1989 Moe Gardner NT
Mike Bellamy WR
1990 Howard Griffith RB
1991 Kameno Bell RB
1992 Jason Verduzco QB
1993 Dana Howard LB
1994 Dana Howard LB
1995 Kevin Hardy LB
1996 Robert Holcombe RB
1997 Robert Holcombe RB
1998 Danny Clark LB
1999 Kurt Kittner QB
2000 Kurt Kittner QB
2001  Kurt Kittner QB
2002 Antoineo Harris RB
2003 Derrick Strong DE
2004 Pierre Thomas RB
2005 Pierre Thomas RB
2006 J Leman LB
2007 Rashard Mendenhall RB
2008 Arrelious Benn WR
2009 Jon Asamoah OG
2010 Mikel Leshoure RB
2011 Whitney Mercilus DE
2012 OFF: Gram Pocic C
DEF: Michael Buchanan DE
ST: Justin Green DB/Coverage
2013 OFF: Nathan Scheelhaase QB
DEF: Jonathan Brown LB
ST: Miles Osei PR/KR/Coverage
2014 OFF: Reilly O’Toole QB
DEF: Earnest Thomas III STAR
ST: Justin DuVernois P
ST: Ralph Cooper Coverage
2015 OFF: Josh Ferguson RB
DEF: Clayton Fejedelem FS
ST: V’Angelo Bentley RET