The College is commemorating the milestone throughout the fall. The number 125 will be used in graphics and stickers, and it will be a time to reflect on the history of Blueboys football.

Head Coach Ray DeFrisco said this year’s celebration is bittersweet. While the team had a record number of recruits from across the country heading into this season, there was uncertainty about competition due to the risks of COVID-19. In July, the Midwest Conference suspended athletic competition due to the pandemic through the remainder of 2020. It is the seventh time in history that world events have caused the cancellation of a season.

“Having the season suspended was a major loss,” DeFrisco said. “Everyone in the program grieved the news. Thankfully, our leadership has kept momentum moving in the right direction.”

For senior defensive back Jasaun King ’21, that has meant continuing training and practicing — under strict restrictions — and focusing on the positive lessons he will take from his years in blue and white. King says what most stands out about his time with the football program is meeting so many different people from across the country and developing close relationships with his coaches.

While there is still hope that the Midwest Conference could allow a football season to be played in the spring, there is a chance that King will not take the field again as a Blueboy. But no matter what the rest of this year holds, King isn’t done with football.

“Football isn’t something that I can just give up,” he said. “Through my experience at IC, I have grown to really love the sport in all aspects.”

King will graduate this spring with a degree in communication and rhetorical studies. He hopes to pursue an advanced degree and is open to the possibility of getting involved with football wherever he attends graduate school. He also plans to come back to visit as an alumnus — to be a part of the IC football tradition that he has  come to admire as a student. He hopes to join alumni like Jim Heafner ’73, whose bonds from the football field have served as an important tie to the Hilltop.

Heafner regularly attends games and although he won’t be able to enjoy a game at England Stadium in 2020, he is still celebrating the milestone and looking forward to the next time he can cheer on the True Blue.

“I am extremely happy to be able to be a part of a program that has such a rich history,” he said. “But the greatest of honors is being associated with the names Brooks, Merris, Anderson, Bellatti and Caine, among others.”

While Heafner said the alumni players who have influenced him are too numerous to list, he describes them as “some of the most worthy and honorable gentlemen I have ever been associated with during my life.”

That sense of pride isn’t expected to fade any time soon. DeFrisco says he isn’t worried about the program regaining momentum after this difficult year: “The culture of the program is strong enough to overcome even the challenges of this pandemic.”

Athletic Director Mike Snyder agrees. He has witnessed the program-wide focus on working toward the future.

“It has been great seeing the men of the 125th football team walking through the halls of Bruner and competing on the practice field,” he said. “They are not taking anything for granted and know that each opportunity for them to come together is a chance to get better and continue the march to a conference championship.”

Not only will “Team 125” — as coaches have nicknamed the group — hold a special place in DeFrisco’s memory, they will also have a lasting legacy in the history of Illinois College football. The student-athletes on the team are also aware of how historic this year will be.

“I’m glad to be a part of this milestone,” King said. “One hundred and twenty five is very significant. It’s something I won’t forget. It’s meaningful. Because of that milestone  and the unique circumstances of this year, our team will be remembered. That is definitely something to be proud of.”