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Illinois Football
The Illinois Fighting Illini football program represents the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) level. The Fighting Illini are a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and compete in its West Division. Illinois claims five national championships and 15 Big Ten championships. History Early history (1890–1912) The University of Illinois fielded its first football team in 1890, under the direction of Scott Williams, the team's starting quarterback who also served as the team's head coach. The team finished with a record of 1–2. Robert Lackey took over the reins for the program's second season in 1891, and the team finished undefeated with a mark of 6–0. In July 1892, several days after graduating from Dartmouth, Edward K. Hall was hired by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to serve as head football coach and director of physical training at a salary of $1,000. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1890 Illinois Fighting Illini Football Team
{{Illinois-sport-team-stub ...
The 1890 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1890 college football season. The team was the 1st season to represent the University of Illinois. Coached, captained and quarterbacked by Scott Williams, the team was not affiliated with a conference and compiled a 1–2 record. Schedule Roster References Illinois Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons Illinois Fighting Illini football The Illinois Fighting Illini football program represents the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) level. The Fighting Illini are a founding member of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin Butkus (born December 9, 1942) is an American former professional football player, sports commentator, and actor. He played football as a middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973. He was invited to eight Pro Bowls, named a first-team All-Pro six times, and was twice recognized by his peers as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. He was renowned as a fierce tackler and for the relentless effort with which he played and is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in pro football history. Butkus was born in Chicago, Illinois and played his entire football career in his home state, which began at Chicago Vocational High School. He was a linebacker at the University of Illinois and a center for the Fighting Illini. He was a two-time consensus All-American, and he led the Illini to a Rose Bowl victory in 1963 and was deemed the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northwestern Wildcats Football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team represents Northwestern University as an NCAA Division I college football team and member of the Big Ten Conference based near Chicago in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern began playing football in 1882. Its football mascot is the Wildcat, a term coined by a ''Chicago Tribune'' reporter in 1924, after reporting on a football game where the players appeared as "a wall of purple wildcats". Northwestern Football is also known as "Chicago's Big Ten Team" with its proximity and ties to Chicago. The Wildcats have won three Big Ten championships or co-championships since 1995, and have been "bowl eligible" five times between 2015 and 2020. Northwestern consistently ranks among the national leaders in graduation rate among football teams, having received the AFCA Academic Achievement Award four times since 2002. The Wildcats have played their home games at Ryan Field (formerly Dyche Stadium) since 1926. History Early history ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nike, Inc
Nike, Inc. ( or ) is an American multinational corporation that is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, and worldwide marketing and sales of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, in the Portland metropolitan area. It is the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, with revenue in excess of US$37.4 billion in its fiscal year 2020 (ending May 31, 2020). As of 2020, it employed 76,700 people worldwide. In 2020, the brand alone was valued in excess of $32 billion, making it the most valuable brand among sports businesses. Previously, in 2017, the Nike brand was valued at $29.6 billion. Nike ranked 89th in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue. The company was founded on January 25, 1964, as "Blue Ribbon Sports", by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, and officially became Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marching Illini
The Marching Illini (MI) is the marching band of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Marching Illini is an organization which annually includes approximately 400 students enrolled in the University of Illinois. Part of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and Illini Athletics, the Marching Illini represent virtually every college, discipline, and major on the university's diverse Urbana-Champaign campus. Performances The Band primarily performs before, during, and after University of Illinois home football games. The band also performs an indoor concert at the Assembly Hall featuring special lighting effects, performances by individual sections, and slightly pithy comic routines. Other performances include a drill for the Illini Marching Festival, halftime performance for the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, halftime performances at postseason bowl games, and an annual away performance at the home football game of another Big Ten school. The MI does not typically perfor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oskee Wow Wow
Oskee Wow-Wow (along with "Illinois Loyalty") is the official fight song of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The song was written in 1910 by two students: Harold Vater Hill '11 (1889–1917), credited with the music, and Howard Ruggles Green '12 (1890–1969), credited with the lyrics. History "Oskee Wow-Wow" is an invented phrase similar to other college cheers and yells. The Illinois cheer was used from before the turn of the 20th century. In the summer of 1910, Hill and Green composed and entered "Oskee Wow-Wow" and several other songs into a contest for a student-composed opera. The opera was never finished, so the two attempted to sell the musical numbers to a publisher. They managed to sell the song to Charley Graham, the manager of the U. of I. Supply Store (also known as the Co-Op) for $100. Hill and Green attempted to gift Graham "Hail to the Orange" by printing it on the back cover of "Oskee Wow-Wow," but Graham refused, citing the song's lack of "punch." ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Illinois Loyalty
"Illinois Loyalty", also known as "We're Loyal to You, Illinois" or just "Loyalty", is a song associated with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It (along with "Hail to the Orange") is the school's alma mater. It is also used (although not as often as Oskee Wow-Wow) as the school's fight song. History Thacher Howland Guild came to the University of Illinois from Brown University in September 1904 as an instructor of rhetoric. He brought an unfinished song that he intended to be used at a college. Guild spent his next year at the university working on the first part of what would become "The Illinois Loyalty Song" and also joined the Marching Illini in the cornet section, where he met Albert Austin Harding, a student recently promoted to director of bands. In the early months of 1906, Guild added the cheering interlude and second part of the song. Harding arranged Guild's song for the Marching Illini just in time for its anniversary concert on March 3, 1906. It was firs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devon Witherspoon
Devon Witherspoon (born December 11, 2000) is an American football cornerback for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He was a consensus All-American and was named the Tatum–Woodson Defensive Back of the Year in 2022. High school career Witherspoon attended Pine Forest High School in Pensacola, Florida. He did not start playing football until his junior year of high school. As a senior in 2018, he was the ''Pensacola News Journal'' Defensive Player of the Year after recording 74 tackles, seven interceptions and two touchdowns. He committed to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ... to play college football. College career As a true freshman at Illinois in 2019, Witherspoon played in all 13 games with three starts and had 33 tackl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Whitney Mercilus
Whitney Mercilus (born July 21, 1990) is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons, primarily with the Houston Texans. He played college football at Illinois, where he received unanimous All-American honors, and was selected by the Texans in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Mercilus spent the entirety of his first nine seasons with Houston, earning a second-team All-Pro selection in 2016. After being released by the Texans early into the 2021 season, he last played for the Green Bay Packers. Early years Mercilus is of Haitian descent, and was born in Akron, Ohio. He attended Garfield High School in Akron, where he played high school football for the Garfield High School Rams. He was considered a three-star defensive end prospect by the Rivals.com recruiting service. College career Mercilus attended the University of Illinois, where he played for head coach Ron Zook's Illinois Fighting Illini football team from 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
J Leman
Jeremy "J" Leman (born March 1, 1985) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at the University of Illinois, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008, and has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Diego Chargers. He is currently a football analyst for the Big Ten Network. Early years Leman was born and raised in Champaign, Illinois. He played high school football at Champaign Central High School where he played middle linebacker and tight end. During his senior year, he tallied 191 tackles and was named to the prestigious Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State Team. College career Leman attended the University of Illinois, where he played for the Illinois Fighting Illini football team from 2003 to 2007. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2003. Leman was a first-team All-Big Ten selection o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kevin Hardy (linebacker)
Kevin Lamont Hardy (born July 24, 1973) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Illinois. Early years Hardy attended William Henry Harrison High School, where he received numerous awards and accolades as a high school football player. As a senior, he posted 127 tackles (47 solo), 2 interceptions, 32 receptions for 610 yards and 13 touchdowns, 55 carries for 410 yards, returned 6 punts for 42 yards and 15 kickoffs for 344 yards. He received All-Evansville, City Player of the Year, All-Southern Indiana and Conference and Region Player of the Year honors. He also was a cum laude honor roll student, competed in basketball and ran track. His teammates included future NBA players Calbert Cheaney, Walter McCarty and also future college coach Chris Lowery. College career Hardy accepted a football scholarship from the University ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dana Howard
Dana Cortez Howard (born February 27, 1972) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears. He played college football at the University of Illinois. Early years Howard was born in East St. Louis, Illinois. He had an inauspicious beginning in football, being cut by his head coach in Junior High. He attended East St. Louis High School, where he played both linebacker and tight end for the Flyers high school football team coached by Bob Shannon. As a senior, he helped the school win the 6A state title, while receiving Parade All-America and All-state honors. In track he once threw the shot put 60'. College career Howard accepted a football scholarship from the University of Illinois, where he became a four-year starter. After being redshirted because the team had starter Darrick Brownlow at middle linebacker, in his freshman season he posted 134 tackles (conference record) and 4 sacks. He made a career-high ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
