A member of the fraternity of former Illinois football captains is 1960s star Robert "Bo" Batchelder.
The Peoria Richwoods standout, singled out by his coach Bob Baietto as "one of the greatest Knights athletes ever," wasn't eligible to play as an Illini freshman for Coach Pete Elliott in 1963. Batchelder saw his first varsity action a sophomore end in 1964, a year after the school's Rose Bowl season, playing both offensively and defensively.
His finest individual game came during the 1965 season when the Illini shut out Purdue. Against Boilermaker quarterback Bob Griese, Batchelder intercepted two passes and recovered two fumbles, including one that he returned 63 yards to set up Illinois' final touchdown.