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In an offseason that was filled with change due to a coaching switch, one area Illini fans can look for continuity is the Special Teams unit.
With the additional year of eligibility granted to seniors due to COVID-19, both Blake Hayes and James McCourt had the ability to return to the Illini for a ‘Super Senior’ season. Joining them will be Special Teams Coordinator Ben Miller from Air Force.
Blake Hayes, P
Hayes joined the Illini directly from Australia back in 2017 and has been a starter since day one. He has racked up a quite a few accolades while on our team, most notably being named both the Big Ten Punter of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten for the 2019 season. Hayes also became the the Illini’s career leader in punting yardage and number of punts last year.
It’s also an added bonus to have a punter with moves like this:
Blake Hayes (@HayesBla1) had so much field ahead of him on this fake punt that it looked like he was about to reconsider. @IlliniFootball delivers one of the most unique fakes you'll ever see #ForTheBrand: pic.twitter.com/bMv8OWtmN9
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 21, 2020
The field position game is a vital aspect of Big Ten football and we should always have an advantage in that regard with Blake Hayes on our team this season.
James McCourt, K
The second part of the ‘lads,’ McCourt joined the Illini from Florida back in 2016 and became the starting kicker as a junior in 2019. He made some clutch kicks throughout that year and was an integral part of guiding Illinois to a bowl game. McCourt’s first season as a starter will always be remembered for his 39-yard field goal that sealed the upset of No. 6 Wisconsin. He continued his strong play into last season and was rewarded with an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honor.
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McCourt’s overall experience and especially his familiarity with the Champaign weather conditions will definitely help the Illini close out games.
Ben Miller, Special Teams Coordinator
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Heading the special teams unit will be Ben Miller who joins the Illini from the Air Force Academy where he was an assistant and Special Teams Coordinator for the last 9 years. Miller’s special teams units at Air Force consistently ranked in the top half of the NCAA during his tenure and were ranked higher than the Illini 6 out of his 9 seasons.
In Bret Bielema’s first year, he should be able to lean on Hayes and McCourt and not have to worry about frustrating errors that sometimes plague less experienced special teams units.