Illinois names 2024 team captains; Kreutz named to Polynesian Award watch list

CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — The Illini have announced the six players that will be teams captains for 2024, including center Josh Kreutz, who became the 7th Illini to make a preseason award watch list.

The offense is also represented by Pat Bryant and Tanner Arkin, while the captains on defense are Seth Coleman, Dylan Rosiek and Miles Scott.

Illinois completed its’ second scrimmage of fall camp Wednesday night, with a more definitive 1st string in place.

Four of the six players selected as team captains are juniors, and Head Coach Bret Bielema said he’s seen the captain selection process be a motivator for certain players depending on if they expected to be named captain or not.

“I’ve seen guys that maybe weren’t expecting to be captain and it raises them to a different level, or guys maybe expecting to be captain that weren’t and it raises them to a new level as well because they feel they’ve got more to prove,” Bielema said.

The top vote getter for team captain on offense was center Josh Kreutz, who was named to the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame watch list, an award presented to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry.

Kreutz started all 12 games at center last season and has missed some time in fall camp with a knee injury, but is expected to be back in time for week one against EIU on August 29.

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