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Chacye Crouch announced he will be hanging up his cleats and giving up football via a tweet on Wednesday afternoon.
Thank you Illini Nation! I will always bleed Orange and Blue pic.twitter.com/Gl78tfH46Q
— Chayce Crouch (@teccrouch7) January 17, 2018
The junior quarterback started the season as Illinois’ starter before getting benched in the season’s third games versus South Florida. Crouch made five total starts in 2017, including Illinois’ game at Ohio State in November, which he left with injury.
Crouch also appeared in a few games as a tight end last season.
Named All-Academic Big Ten, Crouch was a team captain for the Ball State and Ohio State games, and completed a career-high 14 passes against Western Kentucky in Week 2.
Fellow quarterback Jeff George Jr. announced he is transferring from the program early Wednesday.
Sophomore Cam Thomas is the only scholarship quarterback on the roster entering spring ball. MJ Rivers has already signed as a 2018 recruit, and Illinois is still awaiting the signing of Peoria product Coran Taylor.