Kittner joins linebacker Dana Howard and defensive
tackle Joe Rutgens on the list of legendary Illinois players who will be on hand
for the 2008 home opener, when fans will get their first look at the newly
finished stadium.
"It's going to be great," Kittner said. "You've got so many eras and so many
great players at all positions coming back. It's going to be a great atmosphere
because of the excitement from last year and the renovation of the stadium.
Everybody's going to be excited to come back and catch up with old friends and
see all the work that's gone on from last season to now."
Kittner was selected as one of the 10 greatest quarterbacks in Memorial Stadium
history as released by the DIA on May 30. A large number of the Fighting Illini
greats already have indicated they will be returning to campus for the event and
their names will be announced as the game draws near.
Kittner is the second-most prolific passer in school history and holds career
records for touchdown passes and total offense. He also ranks second in career
completions and holds the school records for career attempts. Kittner holds the
top two entries on the season touchdowns record list and many Illini fans recall
his remarkable 1999 season in which he threw for 2,702 yards with a
school-record 24 TD passes and only five interceptions. He followed that up by
shattering his own record with 27 TD passes and leading Illinois to a school
record-setting 32.5 points per game in 2001.
He was an honorable mention All-American in 2000 and led the Fighting Illini to
a Big Ten title in 2001. He also guided Illinois to a berth in the 2002 Nokia
Sugar Bowl, the Illini's first BCS appearance, and led the Orange and Blue to a
win in the 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl by throwing for two touchdowns, rushing for
one and catching a fourth.
The Illinois Renaissance Celebration will be highlighted by the return of a
multitude of former Fighting Illini players, with the list of 10 Greatest Illini
in Memorial Stadium history at each position being honored during eight timeouts
throughout the game. In order to allow Kittner to take part in the ceremony, the
10 Greatest Quarterbacks will be honored at halftime.
The current team also will honor past greats by donning throwback uniforms
modeled in the style of the Dick Butkus era. Illinois will take on Eastern
Illinois Sept. 6 at 11 a.m. The game will be nationally televised by the Big Ten
Network.