2015 Football Roster
Jersey Number 2
V'Angelo Bentley
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-10 / 190
- Position:
- DB
- Hometown:
- Cleveland, Ohio
- High School:
- Glenville
Career Highlights
- Only player in Illinois history with KR, PR, INT & FUM returns for TD in career
- Illinois career kick return yardage record holder (1,860)
- Fourth on Illinois career punt return yardage list (550)
- Third at UI in career punt return average (11.0 ypr)
2015 Senior
- All-Big Ten honorable mention (return specialist) by the media and the coaches
- Started all 12 games at CB in 2015 & 32 career starts
- 54 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, six PBUs in 2015
- Career-high 11 tackles vs. Wisconsin
- Third in the Big Ten in combined return yards with 743 (505 kickoff return, 238 punt return)
- Averaged 9.2 yards per punt return (26 returns, 238 yards), the sixth-best mark in the Big Ten during the regular season
- 8.6 yards per punt return in Big Ten games ranked second in the league
- Averaged 22.0 yards per kickoff return (23 returns, 505 yards) to rank ninth in the Big Ten during the regular season
- Two carries for five yards on the offensive side
- Illini Special Teams Player of the Year
- Hornung Award Preseason Watch List (Most Versatile)
- Earned bachelor’s degree in communication in May 2015
2014 Junior
- Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
- Started 12 of 13 games, missing the Northwestern game because of injury
- Recorded 46 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, an interception, two PBUs and two forced fumbles
- Also had an interception return for TD (TXST) and a fumble return for TD (game-winning TD vs. MINN)
- Led the team with 692 kick return yards and 123 punt return yards
- Only player in Illinois history with a kickoff return, punt return, interception return and fumble return for TD in his career
- Finished 15th in FBS and third in the Big Ten in combined kick returns with 815 total return yards
- Had game-winning 12-yard fumble return for a TD against Minnesota in fourth quarter, earning an ESPN Helmet Sticker
- Recorded a career-high eight tackles, including a career-high two TFLs, at Wisconsin
- Added to his list of highlight-reel plays with a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 40-yard punt return against Texas State
- Named to Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch list
2013 Sophomore
- Played in 10 games and started at cornerback in eight, while also serving as the primary return man
- Led the Big Ten and ranked seventh nationally in punt return average (15.8), a mark that ranked third in a season in school history
- Became the first player in Illinois history to return a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in the same season
- Earned Illinois Point Award as top Defensive Skill Player at annual postseason banquet
- Posted 22 tackles, one interception, 4.0 TFLs, two PBUs and one QB hurry on defense
- Returned 31 kickoffs for 663 yards (21.4 ypr) with one touchdown, and returned 12 punts for 189 yards (15.8 ypr) with one touchdown on the campaign
- Picked off his first career pass to seal the win at Purdue
- Returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown against Ohio State
- Returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against SIU, tying the longest play in school history and marking the longest return by a single player in school history
- Academic All-Big Ten honoree
2012 Freshman
- Played in all 12 games as a true-freshman, totaling 11 tackles, three pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one blocked kick
- Forced his first career forced fumble at Wisconsin
- Blocked a field goal, marking the first block of the year for the Illini, and recorded one tackle against Penn State
- Made first career tackle and had three PBUs in victory over Charleston Southern
High School
- Rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com
- Rated as the No. 19 cornerback nationally by Tom Lemming
- Played in the Semper Fi All-America Game in Arizona
- Glenville won 2011 Cleveland city championship
- Member of 2009 team that played in the Division 1 state title game
- Runs a 4.47 40-yard dash
- Also was a key member of Glenville's track and field squad
- High school teammate of fellow Illini signee Justin Hardee
- High school coach was Ted Ginn, Sr.
Personal
- Full name is V'Angelo Demerius Bentley
- First name pronounced vee-AN-juh-low
- Son of Vernon Bentley and Angela Pope
- Born Nov. 4, 1993
- Chose Illinois over Iowa, Kansas, Pittsburgh, Air Force, Toledo, Ohio, Kent State and Bowling Green
- Mother, Angela, served two tours in the Afghanistan war and retired from the Air Force after 25 years of service
- Earned bachelor's degree in communication from Illinois in May 2015 and is currently enrolled in Recreation, Sport and Tourism master's program
Career Highs
Tackles: 11 vs. Wisconsin, 10/24/15
Solos: 6 at Iowa, 10/10/15
TFLs: 2.0 at Wisconsin, 10/11/14
Sacks: 1.0 at Purdue 11/7/15
QB Hurries: 1 vs. Northwestern, 11/30/13
Fumbles Forced: 1 at Wisconsin, 10/6/12
Fumbles Recovered: 1, twice (last vs. Minnesota, 10/25/14)
Fumble Return Yards: 12 vs. Minnesota, 10/25/14
Fumble Return Touchdowns: 1 vs. Minnesota, 10/25/14
PBUs: 3 vs. Charleston Southern, 9/15/12
Interceptions: 1, twice (last vs. Texas Sate, 9/20/14)
Interception Return Yards: 45 vs. Texas State, 9/20/14
Interception Return Touchdowns: 1 vs. Texas State, 9/20/14
Blocked FG: 1 vs. Penn State, 9/29/12
Kickoff Returns: 6, twice (last vs. Northwestern, 11/30/13)
Kickoff Return Yardage: 139 at Washington, 9/13/2014
Long Kickoff Return: 100 vs. Southern Illinois, 8/31/13
Kickoff Return Touchdowns: 1 vs. Southern Illinois, 8/31/13
Punt Returns: 4 vs. Wisconsin, 10/24/15
Punt Return Yardage: 82 vs. Ohio State, 11/16/13
Long Punt Return: 67 vs. Ohio State, 11/16/13
Punt Return Touchdowns: 1 vs. Ohio State, 11/16/13
All-Purpose Yards: 175 vs. Ohio State, 11/16/13
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