2016 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The 2016 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Lovie Smith and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. They were members of the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 3–9, 2–7 in Big Ten play to finish in sixth place in the West Division.

2016 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record3–9 (2–7 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGarrick McGee (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorHardy Nickerson (1st season)
Base defense4-3
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 2015
2017 →
2016 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 7 Penn State xy$   8 1     11 3  
No. 6 Ohio State x^   8 1     11 2  
No. 10 Michigan   7 2     10 3  
Indiana   4 5     6 7  
Maryland   3 6     6 7  
Michigan State   1 8     3 9  
Rutgers   0 9     2 10  
West Division
No. 9 Wisconsin xy   7 2     11 3  
Iowa   6 3     8 5  
Nebraska   6 3     9 4  
Minnesota   5 4     9 4  
Northwestern   5 4     7 6  
Illinois   2 7     3 9  
Purdue   1 8     3 9  
Championship: Penn State 38, Wisconsin 31
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule edit

The team will host all three non–conference games which are against the Murray State Racers from the Ohio Valley Conference, North Carolina Tar Heels from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and the Western Michigan Broncos from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 32:30 pmMurray State*BTNW 52–348,644
September 106:30 pmNorth Carolina*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
BTNL 23–4860,670
September 173:00 pmWestern Michigan*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
ESPNewsL 10–3440,954
October 12:30 pmat No. 15 NebraskaESPN2L 16–3190,374
October 82:30 pmPurdue
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
BTNL 31–34 OT42,912
October 1511:00 amat RutgersESPNewsW 24–742,640
October 222:30 pmat No. 3 MichiganBTNL 8–41111,103
October 2911:00 amMinnesota 
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
BTNL 17–4040,090
November 511:00 amMichigan State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
ESPNewsW 31–2747,144
November 122:30 pmat No. 7 WisconsinESPN2L 3–4879,340
November 1911:00 amIowa
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
BTNL 0–2839,031
November 2611:00 amat NorthwesternBTNL 21–4230,022
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game
  • All times are in Central time
Schedule Source:[1]

Game summaries edit

Murray State edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Racers 0 3 0 0 3
Fighting Illini 14 21 7 10 52

North Carolina edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Tar Heels 17 7 7 17 48
Fighting Illini 14 2 0 7 23

Western Michigan edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 14 10 3 7 34
Fighting Illini 0 7 3 0 10

At Nebraska edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Fighting Illini 0 13 3 0 16
#15 Cornhuskers 7 3 0 21 31

Purdue edit

1 2 3 4OT Total
Boilermakers 7 14 3 73 34
Fighting Illini 3 13 7 80 31

At Rutgers edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Fighting Illini 0 7 10 7 24
Scarlet Knights 0 0 0 7 7

At Michigan edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Fighting Illini 0 0 0 8 8
#3 Wolverines 21 10 3 7 41

Minnesota edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Gophers 14 0 7 19 40
Fighting Illini 7 0 7 3 17

Michigan State edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Spartans 3 3 11 10 27
Fighting Illini 0 7 10 14 31

At #7 Wisconsin edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Fighting Illini 3 0 0 0 3
#7 Badgers 21 10 3 14 48

Iowa edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Hawkeyes 0 7 7 14 28
Fighting Illini 0 0 0 0 0

At Northwestern edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Fighting Illini 0 14 7 0 21
Wildcats 14 7 14 7 42

Roster edit

2016 Illinois Fighting Illini football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
RB 2 Reggie Corbin   Fr
QB 3 Jeff George, Jr.   Fr
WR 4 D. J. Taylor Sr
RB 5 Ke'Shawn Vaughn So
RB 6 Tre Nation Fr
QB 7 Chayce Crouch   So
WR 9 Sam Mays So
WR 11 Malik Turner Jr
QB 12 Wes Lunt   Sr
TE 13 Caleb Reams   Fr
QB 14 Cam Miller Fr
WR 15 M. J. McGriff Fr
WR 16 Zarrian Holcombe Fr
WR 18 Mike Dudek   So
WR 19 Justin Hardee   Sr
WR 21 Man Berg   Sr
RB 22 Kendrick Foster   Jr
WR 25 Trenard Davis   Fr
RB 27 Dre Brown   Fr
RB 29 Christian Bobak Fr
DB 36 Austin Roberts   So
RB 39 Nathan Echard   Jr
OL 52 Adam Solomon   Fr
OL 53 Nick Allegretti   So
OL 57 Austin Schmidt Sr
OL 61 Darta Lee Fr
OL 65 Doug Kramer Fr
OL 66 Jordan Fagan Jr
OL 67 Christian DiLauro   Jr
OL 68 Matt Long   Fr
OL 70 Eddy Fish Fr
OL 71 Joe Spencer   Sr
OL 72 Gabe Megginson   Fr
OL 73 Jake Cerny Fr
OL 74 Connor Brennan Fr
OL 75 Kurt Gavin Fr
OL 78 Harry Black Sr
OL 79 Zach Heath   Jr
TE 80 Ainslie Johnson Sr
TE 81 Griffin Palmer Fr
WR 82 Samuel Harlib   Jr
TE 83 Bobby Walker   Fr
WR 84 Dominic Thieman Fr
TE 85 Andrew Trainer   Fr
WR 86 Desmond Cain So
TE 87 Tyler White Sr
WR 88 Zach Grant   Sr
TE 89 Andrew Davis Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 1 Jaylen Dunlap   Jr
LB 2 Julian Jones So
DB 3 Taylor Barton   Sr
DB 4 Darwyn Kelly   Jr
LB 5 James Crawford   Jr
DL 6 Carroll Phillips   Sr
DB 7 Caleb Day Sr
DB 8 Dillan Cazley Sr
LB 9 Dele Harding Fr
LB 10 Hardy Nickerson Jr.   Sr
DL 11 Chunky Clements Sr
DB 12 Chris James   So
DL 14 Gimel President   Sr
DL 16 Rob Bain   Sr
DB 17 Stanley Green Fr
DB 20 Harvey Clayton, Jr. Fr
DB 21 Patrick Nelson   Fr
DB 23 Frank Sumpter   Fr
DB 24 Darius Mosely Sr
DB 26 Evan Jones Fr
DB 27 Ahmari Hayes   Jr
DB 30 Julian Hylton   So
DB 31 Cameron Watkins   Fr
LB 32 Justice Williams   Fr
LB 33 Tré Watson   Fr
LB 34 Christion Abercrombie Fr
LB 35 Jake Hansen Fr
DB 37 Zach Holman   So
LB 40 Mike Svetina   Sr
LB 41 Jimmy Marchese   Fr
DL 42 Brandon Jones Fr
LB 44 Drew Murtaugh Fr
DL 45 Henry McGrew   So
DL 47 Sean Adesanya   So
LB 52 Ayo Shogbonyo Fr
DL 55 Jamal Milan   Fr
DL 76 Zeke Martin   Fr
DL 85 Brandon Roberts   Jr
DL 91 Dawuane Smoot Sr
DL 94 Tito Odenigbo   So
DL 95 Kenyon Jackson Fr
DL 96 Tymir Oliver Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P 13 Ryan Frain Sr
K 17 James McCourt Fr
K, P 38 David Reisner   Sr
P 40 Ryan Tucker   So
K 43 Chase McLaughlin   Fr
LS 56 Michael Martin   Sr
LS 58 Sean Mills Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Garrick McGeeOffensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks
  • Hardy NickersonDefensive Coordinator
  • Mike Phair – Defensive Line
  • Bob LigasheskySpecial Teams Coordinator / Tight Ends
  • Luke ButkusOffensive Line
  • Andrew Hayes-Stoker – Wide Receivers
  • Tim McGarigleLinebackers
  • Thad Ward – Running Backs
  • Paul Williams – Defensive Backs
  • Joe Fotu - Graduate Assistant - Defense
  • Tyler Johns - Graduate Assistant - Offense
  • Brett Nelson - Graduate Assistant - Offense
  • Robert Wright - Graduate Assistant - Defense
  • Dean Hogan - Special Teams Analyst
  • Kingsley Osei-Asibey - Defensive Analyst
  • Nathan Scheelhaase - Offensive Analyst
  • Tim Knox - Director of Football Operations
  • Josh Sternquist - Director of Player Personnel
  • Patrick Embleton - Director of Football Student-Athlete Development
  • Nathan McNeal - Director of High School Relations
  • Travis Perry - Graphics/Social Media
  • Nina Baloun - Recruiting Assistant
  • James Kirkland - Recruiting Analyst
  • Joey Boese - Head Football Strength & Conditioning Coach
  • Jeremy Busch - Head Football Athletic Trainer
  • Trent Chestnut - Head Football Equipment Manager
  • Alex Benizzi - Director of Football Video

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

Roster
Last update: October 13, 2016

Awards and honors edit

References edit

  1. ^ "2016 Illinois Fighting Illini Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  2. ^ "Big Ten Football Players of the Week". www.bigten.org. Big Ten Conference. October 17, 2016. Archived from the original on November 17, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  3. ^ "Big Ten Football Players of the Week". www.bigten.org. Big Ten Conference. November 7, 2016. Archived from the original on November 13, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  4. ^ "2016 Big Ten Individual Award Winners" (PDF). www.grfx.cstv.com. Big Ten Conference. November 29, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  5. ^ "2016 Big Ten Individual Award Winners" (PDF). www.grfx.cstv.com. Big Ten Conference. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2016.