Seven Illini Football Players Named To Athlon Sports’ All-Big Ten Teams

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois football team had seven players selected to Athlon Sports’ All-Big Ten Conference teams including three of the four returning offensive linemen and a first-time selection on special teams.

Blake Hayes, who was selected as the 2019 Big Ten Punter of the Year, was the Illini program’s only first-team selection by Athlon Sports. Hayes, originally from Australia, was a first-team All-Big Ten pick by both the league coaches and the conference’s media contingent. Hayes had a 44.6-yard average on his 77 punts last season with 32 of them being downed inside the 20-yard-line. The senior-to-be had 22 punts of 50 yards or more last season and led all Big Ten Conference punters with his yardage average.

“Whenever he goes back there, you expect him to do his job just as the team needs him to,” Illini head coach Lovie Smith said of Hayes during the 2019 season.

Hayes also already owns several Illini single-season records including punts downed inside the 20-yard-line (32), percentage of punts down inside the 20-yard-line (41.6), number of punts of 50 yards or more (22), total yards punted (3,437), and touchback percentage (2.6).

“He's tremendous. What a weapon it is, right? Particularly in a game like that when you have field conditions that are a mess, rain, tough, and you can flip the field and pin somebody down like that is huge,” Illinois offensive coordinator Rod Smith said after the 24-6 win at Purdue on Oct. 26. “It's huge for your defense and huge for your offense."

<strong>ILLINI PLAYERS SELECTED TO ATHLON'S ALL-BIG TEN TEAM</strong>
Blake Hayes - P, First Team
Sydney Brown - S, Second Team
Alex Palczewski - OT, Third Team
Kendrick Green - OG, Third Team
Jake Hansen - LB, Third Team
Josh Imatorbhebhe - WR, Fourth Team
Doug Kramer - C, Fourth Team

Illinois had a trio of offensive linemen recognized by Athlon Sports including senior right tackle Alex Palczewski, junior guard Kendrick Green and senior center Doug Kramer. Palczewski, a All-Big Ten third-team selection by the league’s coaches, ended the 2019 campaign with 36 straight starts. Green was graded by Pro Football Focus as the sixth-best offensive guard in the nation and second-best among Power Five Conference schools entering bowl games in the 2019 season. Kramer was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection by both the league’s coaches and media contingent and did not allow a sack in 751 snaps last season.

Junior safety Sydney Brown was a second-team All-Big Ten selection by Athlon Sports after accumulating 88 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions last season. Brown, a native of London, Ontario, Canada, was second in the Big Ten in interceptions with three and sixth in tackles per game with eight.

Jake Hansen, who is expected to slide in at middle linebacker on Lovie Smith’s defense this season for the Illini, was a third-team selection by Athlon’s after the 2019 Butkus Award semifinalist had 72 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one interception, seven forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries despite missing four games due to injury.

Josh Imatorbhebhe, a fourth-team All-Big Ten selection by Athlon’s, returns for his senior season as the Illini’s top receiving threat. The transfer for Southern California had 33 receptions, 634 receiving yard and nine receiving touchdowns on the season, which was a second in Illinois football history.