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1961 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

1961 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record0–9 (0–7 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPTony Parrilli
CaptainGary Brown
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Ohio State $ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 0 – 1
No. 6 Minnesota 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
No. 8 Michigan State 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
No. 12 Purdue 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Wisconsin 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Michigan 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Iowa 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Northwestern 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Indiana 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Illinois 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1961 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second year under head coach Pete Elliott, the Illini compiled a 0–9 record (0–7 in conference games), finished in last place in the Big Ten Conference, and were outscored by a total of 289 to 53.[1]

Guard and middle linebacker Tony Parrilli was selected as the team's most valuable player, and Gary Brown was the team captain. Statistical leaders included Dave McGann (269 passing yards), Al Wheatland (230 rushing yards), and Dick Newell (184 receiving yards).

The team included numerous freshmen and sophomores (including freshman team captain Dick Butkus[2]) who later led the 1963 Illinois Fighting Illini football team to the Big Ten and Rose Bowl championships.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 30Washington*
L 7–2041,319[3]
October 7Northwestern
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
L 7–2840,138[4]
October 14at No. 7 Ohio State
L 0–4482,374[5]
October 21Minnesota
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 0–3352,247[6][7]
October 28at USC*
L 10–1428,694[8]
November 4Purdue
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
L 9–2335,077[9]
November 11Michigan
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
L 6–3840,179[10]
November 18at Wisconsin
L 7–5545,122[11]
November 25at No. 8 Michigan State
L 7–3438,344[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Statistics

[edit]

The 1961 Illini gained an average of only 175.3 yards per game, consisting of 105.0 rushing yards and 70.3 passing yards. On defense, the Illini gave up an average of 364.7 yards per game, including 237.6 rushing yards.[13]

Dave McGann played little until the final two games, but led the Illini in passing, completing 27 of 49 for 269 yards and a .551 completion percentage.[14] The other leading passers were Mel Romani (16-for-47, 174 yards), and Paul Golaszewski (11-for-33, 94 yards).[13]

The rushing leaders were Al Wheatland (230 yards, 73 carries, 3.2-yard average), Ron Fearn (219 yards, 55 carries, 4.0-yard average), and Ken Zimmerman (185 yards, 50 carries, 3.7-yard average).[14]

The receiving leaders were ends Dick Newell (16 receptions, 184 yards) and Gary Hembrough (16 receptions, 170 yards).[14]

Doug Mills handled punting for the Illini, punting 54 times for a 37.1-yard average.[14]

Awards

[edit]

No Illinois players were named to the 1961 All-America college football team. Senior guard and middle linebacker Tony Parilli was selected by the United Press International as a first-team player, and by the Associated Press (AP) as a second-team player, on the 1961 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[15][16] Parrilli was also selected by his teammates as the most valuable player on the 1961 Illinois team. Tackle Gary Brown was the 1961 team captain.[17]

Personnel

[edit]

Players

[edit]

The following 38 players received varsity letters for their roles on the 1961 Illinois football team:

  • Neal Anderson (#60), guard, sophomore
  • Gary Brown (#79), tackle and captain, senior, 228 pounds
  • Dick Cast, guard, senior, 219 pounds
  • Ken Chalcraft, senior
  • Bob Cravens, sophomore
  • Dick Deller (#63), guard, sophomore
  • Chuck Dickerson, tackle, junior
  • Mike Dundy (#41), halfback, sophomore
  • Bob Easter, sophomore
  • Ron Fearn (#11), quarterback, sophomore
  • Todd Gabbett, sophomore
  • Glenn Glauser, fullback, junior
  • Paul Golaszewski, back, senior
  • Denny Gould, fullback and center, senior
  • Gary Hembrough (#86), end, senior, 208 pounds
  • John Kruze, center, senior
  • Frank Lollino, guard, senior
  • Tom McCullum (#24), halfback, sophomore, 158 pounds
  • Dave McGann, quarterback, senior
  • Doug Mills, senior
  • Joe Mota, fullback, senior
  • Pat Murphy (#75), tackle, 214 pounds
  • Dick Newell (#81), end, senior, 173 pounds
  • Ron O'Neal, junior
  • Jerry Parola, halfback, senior
  • Tony Parrilli (#65), guard and middle linebacker, senior
  • Bill Pasko, end, sophomore
  • Jim Plankenhorn, kicker, junior
  • Mel Romani (#10), defensive quarterback,[18] senior, 177 pounds
  • Bob Scharbert, tackle, junior
  • Mike Summers (#30), halfback/fullback, sophomore
  • Steve Thomas, end, senior
  • Thurman Walker (#83), end, junior
  • Al Wheatland (#46), fullback, sophomore, 197 pounds
  • Stan Yukevich (#53), center, senior 219 pounds
  • Tony Zeppetella (#64), guard, senior, 208 pounds
  • Ken Zimmerman (#20), halfback, junior, 178 pounds
  • Cecil Young, halfback, sophomore

[17]

Coaches

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1961 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  2. ^ "Butkus Named Illini Co-Captain". The Daily Calumet. December 2, 1961. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Fred Young (October 1, 1961). "Young Illini Lose To Huskies, 20-7: Washington's Ground Game Topples Illinois". The Pantagraph. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Wildcats Rip Illinois, 28-7: Northwestern Posts Victory in Big 10". The Pantagraph. October 8, 1961. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  6. ^ Dick Gordon (October 22, 1961). "Gophers Bomb Illinois 33-0". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. pp. 1, 2 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Fred Young (October 22, 1961). "Illinois Bows To Minnesota". The Pantagraph. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Al Wolf (October 29, 1961). "USC Fights Off Inspired Illini, 14-10: Game Ends on Troy's 8-Yd. Line". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 2 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Maurice Shevlin (November 5, 1961). "Purdue Beats Illini: 23 to 9 Loss 6th of Season for Illinois". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, 2 (part 2) – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Lyall Smith (November 12, 1961). "Oh Brother! -- M Clobbers Illini, 38-6". Detroit Free Press. pp. D1, D3 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Monte McCormick (November 19, 1961). "Wisconsin Crushes Illinois, 55-7: Richter Leads the Way in Record-Setting Spree". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. 1, 4 (section 3) – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ George S. Alderton (November 26, 1961). "Spartans Outclass Illinois, 34 to 7". Lansing State Journal. pp. 57, 58 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b "1961 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". S/R College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d "Al Wheatland Leads Illini With 230 Yards". Streator Times-Press. November 30, 1961. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Stephens Unanimous Choice on Big Ten". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 28, 1961.
  16. ^ "Saimes and MacRae Selected on All-Big Ten Football Team". The Holland, Michigan, Evening Sentinel. November 29, 1961. p. 16.
  17. ^ a b "Parrilli MVP: Honor Illinois Gridders". The Daily Illini. November 28, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Mel Romani Benched by Stomach Flu". The News-Democrat of Belleville. September 6, 1961. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ The Illio 1962, p. 223.