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 | |
