2015 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

2015 Illinois Fighting Illini football
Conference Big Ten Conference
Division West Division
2015 record 5–7 (2–6 Big Ten)
Head coach Bill Cubit (Interim)
Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit
Offensive scheme Spread
Co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks (4th year)
Co-defensive coordinator Mike Phair (1st year)
Home stadium Memorial Stadium
(Capacity: 60,670)
2015 Big Ten football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
East Division
#6 Michigan State xy$^   7 1         12 2  
#4 Ohio State x   7 1         12 1  
#12 Michigan   6 2         10 3  
Penn State   4 4         7 6  
Indiana   2 6         6 7  
Rutgers   1 7         4 8  
Maryland   1 7         3 9  
West Division
#9 Iowa x   8 0         12 2  
#23 Northwestern   6 2         10 3  
#21 Wisconsin   6 2         10 3  
Nebraska   3 5         6 7  
Minnesota   2 6         6 7  
Illinois   2 6         5 7  
Purdue   1 7         2 10  
Championship: Michigan State 16, Iowa 13
  • ^ College Football Playoff participant
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
As of January 2, 2016; Rankings from AP Poll

The 2015 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by interim head coach Bill Cubit, and played their home games at Memorial Stadium. They were members of the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 5–7, 2–6 in Big Ten play to finish in a tie for fifth place in the West Division.

On November 28, interim head coach Bill Cubit was signed to a two-year contract and named head coach.[1] However, on March 5 Cubit was fired by new athletic director Josh Whitman.[2]

Previous season

The 2014 Illinois Fighting Illini football team finished the regular season 6–6, with a highlight win against Northwestern which brought the team bowl eligible and was invited to play in the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs of Conference USA. The Bulldogs defeated the Illini in Dallas, Texas 35–18 finishing their 2014 Season at 6–7.

Head coach

On August 28, 2015—one week before the start of the regular season—head coach Tim Beckman was fired after an internal investigation found that he had made efforts "to deter injury reporting and influence medical decisions that pressured players to avoid or postpone medical treatment and continue playing despite injuries." He was replaced by offensive coordinator Bill Cubit on an interim basis for the season.[3]

A few hours before the final game of the season, Cubit had the "Interim" removed from his title and was named permanent head coach. It was an appointment that would last only one game, as Cubit was removed during the following off-season by new Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman, on the day Whitman officially assumed the role, in favor of former Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith.

Schedule

Illinois announced their 2015 football schedule on June 3, 2013. The 2015 schedule consist of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season. The Fighting Illini will host Big Ten foes Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, and Wisconsin and will travel to Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State, and Purdue.[4]

The Fighting Illini hosted three of their four non conference games against Kent State, Middle Tennessee and Western Illinois. Illinois traveled to Chapel Hill, North Carolina and faced the North Carolina of the Atlantic Coast Conference on September 19.

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance
September 5 2:00 PM Kent State* Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL BTN W 52–3   36,693
September 12 11:00 AM Western Illinois* Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL BTN W 44–0   37,733
September 19 11:00 AM at North Carolina* Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC ESPN2 L 14–48   41,000
September 26 3:00 PM Middle Tennessee* Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL ESPNews W 27–25   44,366
October 3 3:00 PM Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL BTN W 14–13   40,138
October 10 11:00 AM at No. 22 Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA ESPN2 L 20–29   66,693
October 24 2:30 PM Wisconsindagger Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL BTN L 13–24   45,438
October 31 11:00 AM at Penn State Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, PA ESPN2 L 0–39   94,417
November 7 11:00 AM at Purdue Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (Battle for the Purdue Cannon) BTN W 48–14   40,197
November 14 11:00 AM No. 3 Ohio State Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL (Battle for the Illibuck) ABC L 3–28   51,515
November 21 11:00 AM at Minnesota TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN ESPNews L 23–32   47,976
November 28 2:30 PM No. 17 Northwestern Soldier Field • Chicago, IL (Battle for the Land of Lincoln Trophy) ESPNU L 14–24   33,514
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time Zone.
Schedule Source:[5]

Roster

2015 Illinois Fighting Illini football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
RB 2 Corbin, ReggieReggie Corbin Fr
QB 3 George, Jr., JeffJeff George, Jr. Fr
WR 4 Taylor, DionteDionte Taylor Jr
RB 5 Vaughn, Ke'ShawnKe'Shawn Vaughn Fr
RB 6 Ferguson, JoshJosh Ferguson  Sr
QB 7 Crouch, ChayceChayce Crouch  Fr
WR 8 Allison, GeronimoGeronimo Allison Sr
WR 9 Mays, SamSam Mays Fr
QB 10 Fitzgerald, JimmyJimmy Fitzgerald Fr
WR 11 Turner, MalikMalik Turner So
QB 12 Lunt, WesWes Lunt  Jr
TE 13 Reams, CalebCaleb Reams Fr
QB 14 Mussat, AlexAlex Mussat Fr
WR 15 Stone-Davis, TyrinTyrin Stone-Davis  Jr
WR 16 Murdock, MarchieMarchie Murdock  So
WR 18 Dudek, MikeMike Dudek So
WR 19 Hardee, JustinJustin Hardee Sr
WR 21 Berg, ManMan Berg  So
RB 23 Enyenihi, HenryHenry Enyenihi  Sr
RB 25 Foster, KendrickKendrick Foster  So
RB 26 Tucker, CameronCameron Tucker  Sr
RB 27 Brown, DreDre Brown Fr
TE 30 Nudera, JimJim Nudera  Sr
WR 31 Poole, LeslieLeslie Poole  Sr
TE 39 Echard, NathanNathan Echard  So
TE 42 Royer, ChrisChris Royer Fr
TE 47 Clary, TimTim Clary  Sr
OL 52 Solomon, AdamAdam Solomon Fr
OL 53 Allegretti, NickNick Allegretti  Fr
OL 55 Boles, ChrisChris Boles  Sr
OL 57 Schmidt, AustinAustin Schmidt Jr
OL 63 Parisi, MikeMike Parisi Fr
OL 64 Broeker, JackJack Broeker Fr
OL 66 Fagan, JordanJordan Fagan So
OL 67 DiLauro, ChristianChristian DiLauro  So
OL 68 Long, MattMatt Long Fr
OL 69 Karras, TedTed Karras  Sr
OL 70 Marietti, MaxMax Marietti Fr
OL 71 Spencer, JoeJoe Spencer  Jr
OL 72 Megginson, GabeGabe Megginson Fr
OL 73 O'Connor, ChrisChris O'Connor  Sr
OL 74 Brennan, ConnorConnor Brennan Jr
OL 75 Flavin, PatPat Flavin  Sr
OL 76 Martin, ZekeZeke Martin Fr
OL 78 Black, HarryHarry Black  So
OL 79 Heath, ZachZach Heath Jr
TE 80 Johnson, AinslieAinslie Johnson Jr
WR 81 Barr, RaphaelRaphael Barr  So
WR 82 Fry, KameronKameron Fry  Jr
TE 83 Walker, BobbyBobby Walker Fr
WR 84 Hahn, JordanJordan Hahn  So
WR 86 Cain, DesmondDesmond Cain Fr
TE 87 White, TylerTyler White Jr
WR 88 Grant, ZachZach Grant  Jr
TE 89 Davis, AndrewAndrew Davis Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 2 Bentley, V'AngeloV'Angelo Bentley Sr
DB 3 Barton, TaylorTaylor Barton Fr
STAR 5 Crawford, JamesJames Crawford  So
LEO 6 Phillips, CarrollCarroll Phillips  Jr
DB 7 Day, CalebCaleb Day Jr
DB 8 Cazley, DillanDillan Cazley Jr
DL 9 Nelson, KennyKenny Nelson  Sr
LB 10 Bello, B. J.B. J. Bello  Jr
DL 11 Clements, ChunkyChunky Clements Jr
DB 12 James, ChrisChris James  Fr
STAR 14 Finney, EricEric Finney  Sr
DB 15 Little, JevarisJevaris Little  Jr
DL 16 Bain, RobRob Bain  Jr
DL 17 Ward, JihadJihad Ward Sr
DB 19 Sumpter, FrankFrank Sumpter Fr
DB 20 Feiedelem, ClaytonClayton Feiedelem  Sr
DB 21 Kelly, DarwynDarwyn Kelly  So
DB 21 Nelson, PatrickPatrick Nelson Fr
LB 22 Walls, LaKeithLaKeith Walls  Jr
DB 23 Kwaaning, DavontayDavontay Kwaaning  Sr
DB 24 Mosely, DariusDarius Mosely Jr
STAR 26 Doxy, CedricCedric Doxy  Jr
DB 27 Spencer, EatonEaton Spencer  Sr
DB 28 Dunlap, JaylenJaylen Dunlap  So
STAR 29 Lugo, NelsonNelson Lugo  Jr
DB 29 Moss, T. J.T. J. Moss  Fr
DB 30 Hylton, JulianJulian Hylton  Fr
DB 31 Watkins, CameronCameron Watkins Fr
STAR 32 Williams, JusticeJustice Williams Fr
LB 33 Watson, TreTre Watson  Fr
LB 34 Svetina, MikeMike Svetina  Jr
LB 35 White, SeanSean White  Jr
LB 36 Roberts, AustinAustin Roberts  Fr
DB 37 Thurow, DennisDennis Thurow  So
DB 38 Harlib, SamuelSamuel Harlib  So
LB 40 Goldsmith, JasonJason Goldsmith  Fr
LB 41 Marchese, JimmyJimmy Marchese Fr
DL 42 Fotu, JoeJoe Fotu Sr
LB 43 Monheim, MasonMason Monheim Sr
LB 44 Jones, JulianJulian Jones Fr
LEO 45 McGrew, HenryHenry McGrew  Fr
DE 46 Wahi, IkjotIkjot Wahi Fr
LEO 47 Adesanya, SeanSean Adesanya So
LB 48 Clark, JackJack Clark Fr
STAR 49 Schmidt, ConnerConner Schmidt  So
LB 52 Neal, T. J.T. J. Neal  Jr
DL 55 Milan, JamalJamal Milan Fr
DL 65 Walton, RyanRyan Walton  So
DL 85 Roberts, BrandonBrandon Roberts  So
DL 90 Aldemir, AltanAltan Aldemir Fr
LEO 91 Smoot, DawuaneDawuane Smoot Jr
DL 93 Powell, TekoTeko Powell  Jr
DL 94 Odenigbo, TitoTito Odenigbo  Fr
DL 95 Loeb, MaxMax Loeb  So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K/P 13 Frain, RyanRyan Frain Jr
K 17 Zalewski, TaylorTaylor Zalewski Sr
K 35 Milazzo, JonathanJonathan Milazzo Fr
K/P 38 Reisner, DavidDavid Reisner  Jr
P 40 Tucker, RyanRyan Tucker  Fr
P 46 Nelson, LukeLuke Nelson Jr
K 48 McLaughlin, ChaseChase McLaughlin  Fr
LS 54 Hirth, ZachZach Hirth  Jr
LS 56 Martin, MichaelMichael Martin  Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Time Banks – Co-Defensive Coordinator and Secondary
  • Mike Phair – Co-Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line
  • Mike BellamyWide Receivers
  • Tom Brattan – Offensive Line
  • Ryan Cubit – Quarterback and Recruiting Coordinator
  • Alex Golesh – Tight Ends and Special Teams Coordinator
  • Nathan ScheelhaaseRunning Backs
  • Al Seamonson – Outside Linebackers
  • Mike Ward – Inside Linebackers
  • Tyler Johns - Graduate Assistant
  • Reilly O'Toole - Graduate Assistant
  • Kaeman Mitchell - Graduate Assistant
  • LeDominique Williams - Graduate Assistant
  • Scott Yelding - Director of Player Personnel
  • Tim Knox - Director of Football Operations
  • Patrick Embleton - Director of Football Student-Athlete Development
  • Aaron Hillmann - Head Football Strength & Conditioning Coach
  • 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: December 1, 2015

References

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