2023 Football Roster
Jersey Number 21
Clayton Bush
- Position:
- DB
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 210
- Hometown:
- Bowling Green, Ky.
- High School:
- South Warren
- Prev School:
- S. Illinois/W. Kentucky
NIL Opportunities
2023 Senior
- Played in all 12 games with five starts at safety
- Recorded career highs with 11 tackles and 1.5 TFLs vs. Indiana (11/11/23)
- Started and tallied three tackles in Illini debut vs. Toledo (9/2/23)
- Came to Illinois as a graduate transfer from Southern Illinois with one season of eligibility remaining
2022 Junior - Southern Illinois
- Started all 11 games at safety
- Ranked third on the team in tackles (48) and 4th in pass breakups (3)
- Had at least 1 tackle in every game, including a season-high 9 at Illinois State
- Recorded an interception at Missouri State
- Picked up a sack at Incarnate Word
2021 Sophomore - Southern Illinois
- Started all 13 games at free safety
- Recorded 63 tackles, including 23 in the last three games
- Tied for the team lead in interceptions (3)
- Returned an INT 22 yards at Kansas State and had a 16-yard INT return in playoff game at South Dakota
- Had a season-high 9 tackles in games vs. North Dakota and at North Dakota State
2020 Sophomore - Southern Illinois
- Started all 10 games
- Finished 3rd on the team with 45 tackles
- Had a season-high 10 tackles at Youngstown State, and had at least 2 stops in every game
- Recorded a strip-sack versus North Dakota State in the second half that helped spur an SIU upset of the No. 1-ranked Bison
- Had an interception in the opener versus SEMO
2019 Freshman - Western Kentucky
- Played in all 13 games for the Hilltoppers
- Recorded 4 tackles
- Also returned 3 punts
High School
- Helped lead his team to a 15-0 record and a Kentucky Class 5A Championship in 2018
- As a senior, caught 29 passes for 619 yards as a wide receiver and 11 touchdowns, while making 58 tackles and seven interceptions on defense
- As a junior, caught 37 passes for 616 yards and seven touchdowns as a receiver, with 63 tackles and one interception on defense
- Named to the All-USA Today Kentucky Football First Team and All-State Courier-Journal First Team in 2018, then was picked to compete in the Best of the Bluegrass All-Star Football Game
Personal
- Born June 8, 2000
- Son of Wayne and Gabrielle Bush
- Father is a surgeon and mother owns a wedding venue
- The youngest of five siblings
- Majoring in sport administration
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
