A record-setting state championship performance created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Byron senior star Caden Considine.

One of Byron’s all-time great players, Considine shouldered the load as the Tigers held off Tolono Unity 56-50 in a shootout for the IHSA Class 3A state title.

Considine, a two-way starter, erupted for 367 rushing yards, shattering the previous 3A state title game record of 270 set by IC Catholic Prep’s Jordan Rowell in 2016.

Considine, who added 13 tackles at linebacker, also clinched the game on the defensive end. With 16 seconds remaining and Byron facing a fourth-and-goal situation, Considine broke up a pass to the end zone and secured the team’s second title in three years. The Tigers went 49-3 during Considine’s four-year varsity career.

“To do it with the guys you’ve grown up with your whole life... it’s a surreal feeling,” Considine said. “I was more of a leader on that team, being a senior, so I had a bit more of an important role. It wasn’t just what I was doing on the field. It was also what I was doing in the locker room or at practice making sure everyone was working hard and I kept morale up... It was a dream come true.”

Considine’s outstanding individual effort garnered the attention of Pat Ryan, director of Illinois high school relations at the University of Illinois. Already with offers from North Dakota State, Western Illinois and Iowa as a walk-on, Considine visited Illinois, where he learned that coach Bret Bielema had a full-ride scholarship for him.

“Pat Ryan was at our state championship game and he really liked what he saw,” Considine said. “Coach [Bielema] offered me a full-ride scholarship, so it was a done deal from that point... We knew coach [Bielema] was one of the best of the best, but we wanted to see the staff around him... They did nothing but impress on the visit. The character and integrity they showed really stood out.”

Almost immediately after receiving the offer, Considine committed and has since signed to continue his career with the Fighting Illini. Considine’s relationship with Bielema extends to his father, former Iowa safety and Super Bowl XLVII champion Sean Considine. Sean, who played for five teams across eight NFL seasons, was recruited to Iowa by Bielema, who at the time was Iowa’s linebackers coach.

“When coach [Bielema] offered me that scholarship at the Big Ten level, the level my dad played at, it was a dream come true,” Caden said. “There was no reason for me to turn that opportunity down. Coach [Bielema] is giving me a shot and he believes in me... I may not have the height, but I have the speed and I have the strength.”

Considine, who wears the No. 37 after his father, finished his time at Byron as a two-time state champion, a two-time Class 3A All-State honoree and a four-time All-Big Northern Conference player. Considine churned for 5,104 rushing yards and 78 touchdowns at running back while posting 284 tackles, six interceptions, four sacks, three forced fumbles and two touchdowns at linebacker.

“It was unreal to see what he put together in the playoffs,” Byron coach Jeff Boyer said. “He’s a great player and his four years were incredible. What he’s done in terms of his leadership in our program on and off the field... There are a lot of young guys who look up to Caden Considine and want to be No. 37 now because of the impact he’s had and his support for those kids. Caden is a great leader.”

Following the footsteps of his father, a former Byron star who led the Tigers to a state championship in 1999, Caden Considine will move to safety at Illinois. Considine, who aims to compete for time on special teams early in his career, had a monster senior season for the Tigers. Considine ran for 2,119 yards and 36 scores while adding 84 tackles and three interceptions as Byron went 14-0.

“I’ve always been a competitor,” said Considine, a three-sport athlete who plays basketball and baseball at Byron. “When I step on the field, I’m working harder than the guy across from me or I’m making the hustle play. I feel like that’s my best attribute and the thing that makes me stand out when I’m playing sports.”

An immediate contributor as a freshman, Considine went for 1,630 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns with 76 tackles and 11 TFLs as a sophomore. Considine, who earned 3A All-State honors, guided the Tigers to a 14-0 record and a 69-7 thrashing of Mt. Carmel in the 3A state championship game. It was one of the best seasons in school history, as Byron scored 823 points and allowed just 94.

“He’s made a big jump with his speed,” Boyer said. “His numbers at camps this summer really stood out. He was like another coach on the field and he was able to recognize formations and get us lined up correctly... For him on offense, it was basically just getting him the ball, getting him into space and letting him do his thing.”

Considine’s family roots are rich with athletic prowess. In addition to his father, Considine’s grandfather, Rick, played football at NIU. His uncle, Casey Cline, played football at Illinois State and two of his relatives were athletes at Iowa. His uncle, Ryan Considine, was a baseball player and his aunt, Megan Cline, played basketball.

But Caden’s biggest role model has been his father, Sean, whose NFL career concluded after helping the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl XLVII. Caden, who’s played football for nearly his whole life, still recalls the earliest memories he formed during the latter stages of his father’s playing days.

“The day before the Super Bowl, there was a daycare that all of the kids were sent to,” Caden said. “Ed Reed’s son and I were playing football with all of the other kids and his son lit me up. I broke my leg the day before the Super Bowl and no one knew. I was crying and everything, but they thought I was being a baby. We found out that I broke three bones in my leg. That’s kind of a funny story.”