Youth has been all over the field this season. In fact, the Illini are putting one of the youngest teams in the nation on the field.
» Through the season's first three weeks, lllinois has started more true freshmen than any team in the nation (10): DB Tony Adams,OL Larry Boyd, TE Louis Dorsey, RB Mike Epstein, DL Isaiah Gay, DB Nate Hobbs, OL Alex Palczewski, DL Bobby Roundtree, WR Ricky Smalling and DB Bennett Williams. LSU is second with six true-freshmen starters.
» The 10 true freshmen starters at USF are the most in a game in program history, breaking the mark of seven set the week prior against WKU. It also marks the most true freshman to start at Illinois in a SEASON. The previous high for a season was nine in 1980.
» Illinois has played 18 true freshmen, tied for the second-most in the nation (LSU 20, Texas A&M 18).
» Illinois had 17 first-time starters in the first three games, third-most in FBS (Baylor & UAB, 19).
FRESHMEN STARTERS SINGLE-GAME NOTES
• DE Isaiah Gay is the second-youngest player to start a game in FBS this season behind Duke DE Victor Dimukeje. Gay turned 18 on Sunday.
• Against USF, Illinois started five true freshmen on offense for the first time ever AND started five true freshmen on defense for the first time ever.
• Illinois started three true freshmen defensive backs against USF (S Bennett Williams, CB Tony Adams, CB Nate Hobbs) for the first time ever.
• Illinois started two true freshmen on the offensive line against USF (OL Larry Boyd, OL Alex Palczewski) for the second straight game (only two times ever).
• Illinois started two true freshmen on the defensive line against USF (DE Isaiah Gay, DE Bobby Roundtree) for the second straight game. Prior to the last two games, the last time two true freshman defensive linemen started was Nov. 1, 1980 against Minnesota (DT Mark Butkus, DE Jim Covington).
• Prior to this season, the previous high for most true freshmen started in a game at Illinois was five, which last happened Nov. 11, 2006 against Purdue (QB Juice Williams, WR Chris James, TE Michael Hoomanawanui, CB Vontae Davis, S Travon Bellamy).
• Illinois started three true freshmen in the season opener (S Bennett Williams, CB Tony Adams, DE Bobby Roundtree). In the previous 42 years, Illinois started a total of 12 true freshmen in the first game. The three true-freshmen starters tied for the second most in the nation in 2017 season openers behind LSU's four.
• Three lllini true freshmen started on defense in a season opener for the first time since 1980 (3). Illinois tied with Arizona and LSU for the most true-freshmen starters on defense in season openers.
http://www.fightingillini.com/news/...th-movement-illini-freshmen-making-noise.aspx
» Through the season's first three weeks, lllinois has started more true freshmen than any team in the nation (10): DB Tony Adams,OL Larry Boyd, TE Louis Dorsey, RB Mike Epstein, DL Isaiah Gay, DB Nate Hobbs, OL Alex Palczewski, DL Bobby Roundtree, WR Ricky Smalling and DB Bennett Williams. LSU is second with six true-freshmen starters.
» The 10 true freshmen starters at USF are the most in a game in program history, breaking the mark of seven set the week prior against WKU. It also marks the most true freshman to start at Illinois in a SEASON. The previous high for a season was nine in 1980.
» Illinois has played 18 true freshmen, tied for the second-most in the nation (LSU 20, Texas A&M 18).
» Illinois had 17 first-time starters in the first three games, third-most in FBS (Baylor & UAB, 19).
FRESHMEN STARTERS SINGLE-GAME NOTES
• DE Isaiah Gay is the second-youngest player to start a game in FBS this season behind Duke DE Victor Dimukeje. Gay turned 18 on Sunday.
• Against USF, Illinois started five true freshmen on offense for the first time ever AND started five true freshmen on defense for the first time ever.
• Illinois started three true freshmen defensive backs against USF (S Bennett Williams, CB Tony Adams, CB Nate Hobbs) for the first time ever.
• Illinois started two true freshmen on the offensive line against USF (OL Larry Boyd, OL Alex Palczewski) for the second straight game (only two times ever).
• Illinois started two true freshmen on the defensive line against USF (DE Isaiah Gay, DE Bobby Roundtree) for the second straight game. Prior to the last two games, the last time two true freshman defensive linemen started was Nov. 1, 1980 against Minnesota (DT Mark Butkus, DE Jim Covington).
• Prior to this season, the previous high for most true freshmen started in a game at Illinois was five, which last happened Nov. 11, 2006 against Purdue (QB Juice Williams, WR Chris James, TE Michael Hoomanawanui, CB Vontae Davis, S Travon Bellamy).
• Illinois started three true freshmen in the season opener (S Bennett Williams, CB Tony Adams, DE Bobby Roundtree). In the previous 42 years, Illinois started a total of 12 true freshmen in the first game. The three true-freshmen starters tied for the second most in the nation in 2017 season openers behind LSU's four.
• Three lllini true freshmen started on defense in a season opener for the first time since 1980 (3). Illinois tied with Arizona and LSU for the most true-freshmen starters on defense in season openers.
http://www.fightingillini.com/news/...th-movement-illini-freshmen-making-noise.aspx
