2024 Football Roster
Jersey Number 6
Josh McCray
- Position:
- RB
- Class:
- Junior
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 235
- Major:
- Communication
- Hometown:
- Enterprise, Ala.
- High School:
- Enterprise
 University of Illinois Graduate |
 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl MVP |
Career
- Transferred in 2025 after four seasons
- Totaled 33 games played (2 starts), 291 carries, 1,370 rushing yards, and 14 rushing touchdowns during his Illinois career
2024 Junior
- Played in all 13 games
- Cheez-It Citrus Bowl MVP after rushing 13 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns to lead Illinois to a victory over #14 South Carolina (12/31/24)
- Rushed for three touchdowns in win vs. Michigan State (11/16/24), becoming the first Illini running back to run for three scores in a game since Jason Ford on Nov. 20, 2010, vs. Northwestern at Wrigley Field
- Career-long 42-yard rushing touchdown vs. Minnesota (11/2/24)
- Ran six times for 27 yards to reach 1,000 yards rushing in his career at #1 Oregon (10/26/24)
- Posted first-career three touchdown game in win vs. Purdue (10/12/14), rushing for two scores and also recording his first-career touchdown reception
- Scored his first rushing touchdown of the season in season-opening win vs. Eastern Illinois (8/29/24)
- Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List
- College Football Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
2023 Redshirt Sophomore
- Played in the first five games before missing the rest of the season with an injury
- One start on the season at Purdue
- Doak Walker award watch list
- Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten third team
- Recorded third-career rushing touchdown, a 1-yard plunge to cap the Illini's opening drive vs. Toledo (9/2/23)
2022 Sophomore
- Played in four games and redshirted the season
- Missed nine games with injuries
- 19 carries for 56 yards on the season
- Four receptions for 19 yards on the season
2021 Freshman
- 112 carries for 549 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on the season
- Second on the team in carries (112) and rushing yards (549)
- Ninth in the Big Ten in rushing yards per carry (4.9)
- 14th in the nation in rushing yards per carry among freshmen (4.9)
- 14th in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (49.9)
- Rushed for 142 yards at #7 Penn State 10/23/21, the most rushing yards ever by an Illini true freshman against a ranked opponent
- Rushed for career-high 156 yards on a career-high 24 attempts against Purdue 9/25/21
- 156 rushing yards at Purdue were the fifth-most in a game by a true freshman in 2021 and the most by a true freshman in a road game in 2021
- Rushed for 60 yards on eight attempts including his first-career touchdown before leaving the game with an injury against Maryland 9/17/21
- Finished with five carries for 18 yards in his Illinois debut against UTSA 9/4/21
- Illinois victory team MVP against Nebraska 8/28/21
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
- Position ranks: #103 (247), #125 (ESPN)
- State ranks: #35 (Rivals), #75 (ESPN), #81 (247)
- 2020 Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A All-State first team
- 2018 Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A All-State second team
- Three-time Southeast Sun Player of the Year
- Rushed for 774 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 7.0 yards per carry (111 carries), and caught 28 passes for 440 yards and six touchdowns as a senior
- Returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as a senior
- Rushed for 604 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior
- Started games at running back, safety, linebacker and wide receiver for Enterprise
- Played for head coach Rick Darlington at Enterprise
- Helped Enterprise reach the 2020 Alabama 7A state playoffs
- Under Armor All-America Camp Series invite
- ESPN300 Elite Underclassmen Camp invite
- Rivals Camp Series invite
- Also played basketball in high school
- Committed to Illinois on January 5, 2021
- Offers included Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington State
Personal
- Born February 24, 2002
- Son of Chris Ann
- Chose Illinois because, “of the family atmosphere.”
- Graduated from the University of Illinois in May 2025 with a degree in communication
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 3/5/26
Thursday, March 05
Illinois Football | Bobby Hauck Introductory Press Conference 2/12/26
Thursday, February 12
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 2/4/26
Thursday, February 05
Illinois Football | Xavier Scott Return Announcement Press Conference Press Conference 1/21/26
Wednesday, January 21
