US EditionBeatty returns punt for TD, breaks Grange’s 102-year-old record in No. 12 Illini’s opening rout
Hank Beatty set a new Illinois punt return record with 133 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown, surpassing a 102-year-old mark in a 52-3 season-opening win.
- On Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, Illinois wide receiver Hank Beatty returned a punt 69 yards for a third-quarter touchdown and totaled four returns for 133 yards, breaking Red Grange's 125-yard record set Oct. 6, 1923.
- Illinois opened the season with a 52-3 win over Western Illinois, leading 31-0 at halftime while Luke Altmyer completed 17 of 21 passes with three touchdown passes.
- Beatty also paced Illinois' offense with five catches including a 59-yard touchdown, while Gabe Jacas, Illinois linebacker, had five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble and Aidan Laughery, Illinois running back, ran for two TDs.
- The touchdown marked Illinois' first punt return TD since D'Angelo Bailey in 2013, and Bret Bielema said he hoped the performance would catch AP poll voters' attention.
- With contrasting rosters, Illinois Fighting Illini returns 16 starters while Western Illinois has 57 new players; Joe Davis said his team will `move on to next week` after the loss.
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28 Articles
Hank Beatty puts on a show with a punt-return TD and big catch in No. 12 Illinois’ season-opening rout
CHAMPAIGN — Hank Beatty had 10 yards to go to reach the end zone Friday night at Memorial Stadium. The Illinois senior already had caught a Western Illinois punt on the left sideline, raced in a curve across the field to the right sideline and ran 59 yards forward. He wasn’t going to be stopped until he reached the orange end-zone turf. So he lowered his shoulder into WIU punter Luke Droegemueller and then kept charging with another defender wra…
Beatty returns punt for TD, breaks Grange's 102-year-old record in No. 12 Illini's opening rout - IPM Newsroom
Illinois Newsroom - Hank Beatty returned a punt 69 yards for a third-quarter touchdown and broke Red Grange’s 102-year-old Illinois record for yards on punt returns to help the No. 12 Illini rout Western Illinois 52-3 on Friday night to open the season. The post Beatty returns punt for TD, breaks Grange’s 102-year-old record in No. 12 Illini’s opening rout appeared first on IPM Newsroom.
Associated Press News
Beatty returns punt for TD, breaks Grange's nearly 102-year-old mark in No. 12 Illini's opening rout
Hank Beatty returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown and broke Red Grange’s nearly 102-year-old Illinois record for yards on punt returns to help the No. 12 Illini rout Western Illinois 52-3 on Friday night to open the season.
Hank Beatty Establishes Himself as Illinois #1 Wide Receiver
As we wrote, shortly after the Citrus Bowl win on New Year’s Eve 2024, Hank Beatty was poised to become the Illinois Fighting Illini WR1. That prediction came to fruition as Beatty had 100 receiving yards by halftime of the Illini trouncing of Western Illinois last night. Beatty finished with five catches for 108 yards including a career best (tied) 59-yard grab. And while he certainly made his mark on offense, it’s what he did in another phase …
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