CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois football team named six captains for the 2023 season: OL Isaiah Adams, LB Tarique Barnes, DT Jer'Zhan Newton, DT Keith Randolph Jr., TE Tip Reiman, and WR Isaiah Williams. The captains were determined following a player vote.
OL Isaiah Adams
Adams enters his senior season as a mainstay on the Illini offensive line, after starting all 13 games as a junior for the Orange and Blue last season. The 2023 Outland Trophy watch list honoree led the team with 120.5 knockdowns, helping the Illini offensive line unit earn recognition as semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award.
LB Tarique Barnes
Barnes heads into his fifth year with the Illini and takes on his second season as a captain with the Orange and Blue. An All-Big Ten honorable-mention selection in 2022, Barnes started all 13 games last year while totaling 46 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss.
DT Jer'Zhan Newton
Newton, a consensus All-Big Ten and All-America honoree in 2022, enters his fourth year in Champaign and his first as a captain. Named a Big Ten Preseason Watch List honoree, Newton also has been named to the Walter Camp Player of Year, Nagurski, Lombardi, and Bednarik watch lists ahead of the 2023 campaign after registering 62 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks last year.
DT Keith Randolph Jr.
Randolph, a 2022 All-Big Ten third-team honoree, will serve as captain for the first time in his fifth year with the program. Starting all 13 games at defensive tackle and recording 53 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and one interception last season, Randolph was named to the Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski, and Outland 2023 preseason watch lists.
TE Tip Reiman
Reiman returns as the Illini's starting tight end as a junior in 2023. A Mackey Award watch list selection, Reiman started 13 games for the team in 2022, tallying 17 catches for 174 yards and hauling in one receiving touchdown.
WR Isaiah Williams
Williams, a former quarterback turned All-Big Ten wide receiver, was also selected as a team captain in 2022 and started all 13 games while leading the team in receptions (82), yards (715), and receiving touchdowns (5). He enters 2023 on the preseason watch lists for both the Wuerffel and the Maxwell Awards.
OL Isaiah Adams
Adams enters his senior season as a mainstay on the Illini offensive line, after starting all 13 games as a junior for the Orange and Blue last season. The 2023 Outland Trophy watch list honoree led the team with 120.5 knockdowns, helping the Illini offensive line unit earn recognition as semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award.
LB Tarique Barnes
Barnes heads into his fifth year with the Illini and takes on his second season as a captain with the Orange and Blue. An All-Big Ten honorable-mention selection in 2022, Barnes started all 13 games last year while totaling 46 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss.
DT Jer'Zhan Newton
Newton, a consensus All-Big Ten and All-America honoree in 2022, enters his fourth year in Champaign and his first as a captain. Named a Big Ten Preseason Watch List honoree, Newton also has been named to the Walter Camp Player of Year, Nagurski, Lombardi, and Bednarik watch lists ahead of the 2023 campaign after registering 62 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks last year.
DT Keith Randolph Jr.
Randolph, a 2022 All-Big Ten third-team honoree, will serve as captain for the first time in his fifth year with the program. Starting all 13 games at defensive tackle and recording 53 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and one interception last season, Randolph was named to the Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski, and Outland 2023 preseason watch lists.
TE Tip Reiman
Reiman returns as the Illini's starting tight end as a junior in 2023. A Mackey Award watch list selection, Reiman started 13 games for the team in 2022, tallying 17 catches for 174 yards and hauling in one receiving touchdown.
WR Isaiah Williams
Williams, a former quarterback turned All-Big Ten wide receiver, was also selected as a team captain in 2022 and started all 13 games while leading the team in receptions (82), yards (715), and receiving touchdowns (5). He enters 2023 on the preseason watch lists for both the Wuerffel and the Maxwell Awards.
