Tony Durkin
Offensive Guard/Center
6′-3″, 275 lbs.
rs-Freshman (on scholarship, 4 years to play 4)
Andrew HS / Tinley Park, Illinois

ALE Ranking last year: #82

What I Know About Him:

Sometimes, when researching the bios for these kids (yes, kids), I get to feeling really, really old. I see their birth dates, and then remember where I was on those days (more specifically, remember that moment in Illini football history), and I feel old. For example: remember the tie at Michigan in 1992? Michigan was #3 in the country, but they fumbled something like 23 times and we tied? Remember that? Durkin was born two days before that game. And he’ll be a sophomore this fall (redshirt freshman in football years). I’m. So. Old. Still in my thirties, but I can remember rolling out of bed at my fraternity house at noon on a Saturday in November 1992 with my roommate telling me “dude, you missed the first quarter – we’re hanging with Michigan right now.”

What do I know about Durkin? I know he’s slated for center, but they say that about all the interior guys. He might be a center, and he might be a guard. But probably a center. Maybe a guard, though.

What I Expect From Him:

I’m guessing Durkin’s moment comes after Graham Pocic and Hugh Thornton graduate. He’ll be a redshirt sophomore, and we’ll have open spots at both center and left guard. His main competition at center will likely be junior-this-fall Jake Feldmeyer, and his competition at guard will be Alex Hill and Chris Boles.

This fall, well, this fall is for positioning for next fall. As of now I’ll go with a Cvijanovic-Thornton-Pocic-Karras-Heitz line, with Tyler Sands being the 6th man and Alex Hill rotating in here and there (plus a little Scott McDowell at tackle). This leaves Durkin on the outside looking in. But next year, maybe he’s on the inside. At center. Or maybe guard. But probably center.