From being part of Illinois State’s run to the FCS National Championship game to earning all-conference nods in the top two conferences at the FBS level, several Kankakee County-area players and coaches left their mark on the 2025-26 college football season.

Here is a look at some of these football figures, what they accomplished this season and what their future might hold.

Local ties help Illinois State to magical playoff run

Former Manteno football standout and 2012 graduate CJ Irvin was a student assistant at Illinois State when the Redbirds made a run to the FCS Championship in the 2014-15 season, after injuries ended his playing career.

In his seventh season as the tight ends/fullbacks coach in 2025-26, Irvin helped lead the Redbirds back to the title game for the first time since his student days and second time in program history.

While they ended up taking a heartbreaking 35-34 loss in overtime to Montana State, Irvin said it was a great experience to be part of another playoff run with the Redbirds.

“The way we did it and the way the players approached every game, I think it was a little different than the last time,” he said. “That made it a little more fun. Obviously, we came up a point short, but it was still a fun season and was still something we’ll look back on and be proud of.”

Illinois State became the first team to ever win four playoff games on the road in an FCS postseason, including a dramatic 29-28 comeback win over top-ranked North Dakota State in the second round, winning on a two-point conversion with just a minute to play.

A trio of local players was also along for the ride with the Redbirds.

Herscher alum Travis Jones appeared in all 17 games on the defensive line as a redshirt-sophomore, setting a new career high with 21 total tackles and recording the first two sacks of his career. He had two tackles and a pass breakup in the national title game against Montana State.

Iroquois West’s Jace Pankey and Manteno’s Cooper Monk, a sophomore and freshman, respectively, did not see any game action as offensive linemen.

Keagen Trost, Josh Gesky wrap college careers with more accolades

Kankakee alum Keagen Trost ended his long college football journey with a breakout season as Missouri’s right tackle, earning first-team All-SEC honors, third-team AP All-American honors and Pro Football Focus All-American honors as PFF’s highest-graded offensive lineman in the country.

Trost received an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine as he now transitions to being a pro prospect with a sixth-round grade from Bleacher Report.

Manteno grad Josh Gesky earned a third straight All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honor to wrap his career at Illinois. The redshirt-senior started all 13 games at left guard for the second straight season, with the Illini going 19-7 in those 26 games, the winningest two-year stretch in school history.

Gesky recently played in the Hula Bowl on Jan. 10 as he continues to work through the pre-draft process.

Jyaire Hill returning for senior year at Michigan

It’s been a tumultuous few years for Michigan football, but 2023 Kankakee graduate Jyaire Hill is sticking it out with the Wolverines for 2026 under new head coach Kyle Whittingham, who will be Hill’s fourth head coach in four seasons, including interim Biff Poggi last season.

Hill earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mentions as a junior in 2025-26, his first all-conference selection. He had 35 total tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack, and had nine pass breakups and an interception.