CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois football program will host the 40-year reunion for the Fighting Illini's 1983 Big Ten championship and 1984 Rose Bowl team during the season opener on Saturday, Sept. 2. The title team will be honored during the game against Toledo and members of the team will sign autographs in Grange Grove pregame.
The 1983 Illinois Fighting Illini will also be in Champaign the Friday night before the game for a facility tour and event at the Smith Football Center. A celebration brunch is planned for the morning of game day on Sept. 2.
Illinois went 10-2 in 1983, including a perfect 9-0 record in the Big Ten. The 1983 Illini were the only team in Big Ten history to beat all other conference schools in the same season.
Led by fourth-year head coach Mike White, Illinois' season was highlighted by wins over #6 Ohio State (17-13) and #8 Michigan (16-6) at Memorial Stadium. The Illini finished 10th in the final AP Top 25 Poll following a trip to the Rose Bowl against UCLA.
Quarterback Jack Trudeau led Illinois with 2,446 passing yards and 18 touchdowns during the regular season in his first of three years as the Illini's starter. The Illinois Athletics Hall of Famer finished his career as the school's all-time leader in passing yards (8,725), pass completions (797), completion percentage (64.02%) and touchdowns passes (55), where he is still tied for third.
Trudeau's favorite target was College Football Hall of Famer David Williams, who totaled 59 receptions for 870 receiving yards and six touchdowns during his first season with the Illini. He later left Champaign, following the 1985 season, as the program's all-time leader in career receptions (262), career receiving yards (3,392), and career touchdown receptions (24).
The 1983 offense also featured tight end Tim Brewster, who tied Williams with 59 receptions during the regular season, and wide receiver Mitchell Brookins, who had five TD receptions. The running game featured Thomas Rooks, who ran 156 times for 842 yards and eight touchdowns, and Dwight Beverly, who carried the ball 157 times for 684 yards and eight touchdowns.
Defensively, Illinois was led by Big Ten MVP and All-American defensive lineman Don Thorp, who recorded team-bests in tackles (77), tackles for loss (17.0), and sacks (7.0). Thorp's fellow defensive lineman Mark Butkus gave the Illini one of the top d-lines in all of college football, as Butkus ranked second on the team in tackles (59) and tackles for loss (6.0), and also totaled 5.0 sacks.
Defensive backs Dave Edwards, Mike Heaven, Craig Swoope, and Keith Taylor led the secondary. Edwards had five interceptions and tied the school record with two interception returns for touchdowns, Heaven added five interceptions, Swoope had eight pass breakups and two interceptions, and Taylor picked off three passes. As team, the Illini totaled 21 interceptions, the sixth-most in program history.
Former Illini who are expected to be in attendance at the Sept. 2 game against Toledo will be announced in the coming weeks. The Illini and Rockets kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
Members of the team that wish to attend the events or have questions, please contact Kevin Mitchell at varsityi@illinois.edu.
The 1983 Illinois Fighting Illini will also be in Champaign the Friday night before the game for a facility tour and event at the Smith Football Center. A celebration brunch is planned for the morning of game day on Sept. 2.
Illinois went 10-2 in 1983, including a perfect 9-0 record in the Big Ten. The 1983 Illini were the only team in Big Ten history to beat all other conference schools in the same season.
Led by fourth-year head coach Mike White, Illinois' season was highlighted by wins over #6 Ohio State (17-13) and #8 Michigan (16-6) at Memorial Stadium. The Illini finished 10th in the final AP Top 25 Poll following a trip to the Rose Bowl against UCLA.
Quarterback Jack Trudeau led Illinois with 2,446 passing yards and 18 touchdowns during the regular season in his first of three years as the Illini's starter. The Illinois Athletics Hall of Famer finished his career as the school's all-time leader in passing yards (8,725), pass completions (797), completion percentage (64.02%) and touchdowns passes (55), where he is still tied for third.
Trudeau's favorite target was College Football Hall of Famer David Williams, who totaled 59 receptions for 870 receiving yards and six touchdowns during his first season with the Illini. He later left Champaign, following the 1985 season, as the program's all-time leader in career receptions (262), career receiving yards (3,392), and career touchdown receptions (24).
The 1983 offense also featured tight end Tim Brewster, who tied Williams with 59 receptions during the regular season, and wide receiver Mitchell Brookins, who had five TD receptions. The running game featured Thomas Rooks, who ran 156 times for 842 yards and eight touchdowns, and Dwight Beverly, who carried the ball 157 times for 684 yards and eight touchdowns.
Defensively, Illinois was led by Big Ten MVP and All-American defensive lineman Don Thorp, who recorded team-bests in tackles (77), tackles for loss (17.0), and sacks (7.0). Thorp's fellow defensive lineman Mark Butkus gave the Illini one of the top d-lines in all of college football, as Butkus ranked second on the team in tackles (59) and tackles for loss (6.0), and also totaled 5.0 sacks.
Defensive backs Dave Edwards, Mike Heaven, Craig Swoope, and Keith Taylor led the secondary. Edwards had five interceptions and tied the school record with two interception returns for touchdowns, Heaven added five interceptions, Swoope had eight pass breakups and two interceptions, and Taylor picked off three passes. As team, the Illini totaled 21 interceptions, the sixth-most in program history.
Former Illini who are expected to be in attendance at the Sept. 2 game against Toledo will be announced in the coming weeks. The Illini and Rockets kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
Members of the team that wish to attend the events or have questions, please contact Kevin Mitchell at varsityi@illinois.edu.
