Illinois football features players from all over the country, but nearly half of its roster comes from within the state. In fact, some of the Illini’s best players this season grew up less than a 90-minute drive from Champaign, in towns with populations as small as 1,200 people.
Arguably the best player on the team, senior wide receiver Hank Beatty, hails from Rochester, Illinois. The town, with around 4,000 residents, sits right outside Springfield.
Beatty is having a career year for himself — terrifying defensive and special teams coordinators alike. In the first eight games, he has 690 receiving yards and two touchdowns, as well as 170 punt return yards and the first punt return touchdown for Illinois since 2013.
The Illini coaching staff has allowed the 2021-22 Gatorade Illinois Football Player of the Year to reach his fullest extent in the offense. He has a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown on the season.
“He should play defense,” said head coach Bret Bielema jokingly when asked what more Beatty can do. “I want an interception.”
Beatty’s teammates have nothing but positive things to add. Senior quarterback Luke Altmyer has said on multiple occasions that he has the highest trust in Beatty.
Junior running back Aidan Laughery has a close relationship with the senior wide receiver. Because of their close bond, he knew Beatty would be on top of his game.
“That’s my roommate,” Laughery said. “(He’s) my best friend … He’s a hell of a football player.”
The Illini have another Gatorade Illinois Football Player of the Year on their roster. Junior running back Kaden Feagin won the award in 2022-23, the year after Beatty did. Feagin comes from Atwood, Illinois — a town of fewer than 1,200 people just south of Champaign.
Feagin is another cog in the high-powered offense. He has nearly 500 total yards and six touchdowns on the season. Feagin’s 6-foot-3, 255-pound frame makes it nearly impossible to bring him down.
“He’s obviously huge,” Altmyer said. “Like the biggest dude out there. (He’s) a guy who wants to play … He attacks.”
The junior has certainly been in attack mode this season. He runs hard, rarely going down after first contact. Feagin has been an important piece of the run game for the Illini.
Another talented small-town player is Laughery. He grew up in Gibson City, Illinois, a town of just under 3,500 people and close to 30 minutes from Champaign. While he’s been injured most of this year, Laughery is still one of the more talented players on the roster.
In the first game of the season, Laughery ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns. However, the next week at Duke, he left the game with a lower-body injury. He’s played a handful of snaps since but hasn’t gotten any consistent playing time.
It’s a tough blow for the offense, as Laughery had nearly 600 rushing yards and four touchdowns last season while splitting carries with former Illini running back Josh McCray.
All three of these players have had a huge impact on this team. Beatty and Feagin are cornerstones of the offense, while Laughery’s return could add another element to the team that sets them above the rest of the conference.
All three hail from small central Illinois towns. They have also all stuck with the Illini for their whole careers thus far, staying true to their original decisions.
The trio represents a broader shift in Illinois’ recruiting philosophy over the last 10 years. Instead of focusing on out-of-state talent, the Illini have restarted their efforts to sign all the in-state recruits they possibly can.
It seems to have paid off. The Illini feature nearly 10 starters from Illinois this season. The growing representation of Illinois on the team bodes well for the future of in-state recruiting.
