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Ken Dilger
Kenneth Ray Dilger (born February 2, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dilger played college football at Illinois.
Ken Dilger was raised in Mariah Hill in Spencer County, Indiana. He attended Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, Indiana, where he played quarterback on the football team. As a senior, Dilger threw for a school-record 2,005 yards and 23 touchdowns. Dilger totaled 3,750 passing yards in his high school career. He also starred in basketball and baseball.
Dilger was recruited by the University of Illinois, where he joined the football team in 1990 as a quarterback. He redshirted his freshman year. During spring practice for the 1991 season, Dilger transitioned to tight end at the request of offensive coordinator Gene Dahlquist. He quickly rose through the depth charts to earn the starting tight end role by the beginning of the season.
As a redshirt freshman in 1991, Dilger caught 18 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown. His 212 receiving yards set a freshman record for Illinois. In the second game of the season against Missouri, Dilger dropped a late pass in the endzone from quarterback Jason Verduzco that could have won the game, but the Illini lost 19–23. He redeemed himself throughout the season, with his best performance of the year coming in a 21–24 loss against Iowa, where he had five receptions for 77 yards. The Illini were ranked as high as #13 in the AP poll during the season, and played in the 1991 John Hancock Bowl, but lost 3–6 in a defensive struggle against UCLA. They finished the year at 6–6, with defensive coordinator Lou Tepper replacing John Mackovic at head coach prior to the bowl game.
In the lead-up to the 1992 season, Dilger tore cartilage in his right knee in late-August and underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. While preparing to return to the lineup, Dilger tore cartilage in his left knee, which was also surgically repaired on September 28, 1992. After missing the first five games of the season, Dilger returned in a 14–24 loss to Iowa, where he caught one pass for six yards. Dilger recorded six catches on the season for 42 yards before breaking his left wrist during practice prior to the 1992 Holiday Bowl, which ended his season.
In his redshirt junior year, Dilger battled for the starting tight end spot with senior David Olson. Dilger won out, and featured in all 11 games for the Illini. Dilger's first touchdown reception of the season came on a 17-yard pass from quarterback Johnny Johnson as the Illini upset #13-ranked Michigan, 24–21, on October 23, 1993. Dilger followed up with a 26-yard TD reception the next week in a 20–13 win over Northwestern. Dilger had 17 receptions for 212 yards and two touchdowns on the year, as the Illini finished with a 5–6 record.
Dilger's 1994 redshirt senior season was the best of his college career. Despite suffering a hamstring injury in the opening game of the season against Washington State, Dilger finished the year as the Illini's second leading receiver and tied for most receiving touchdowns. In the third game of the season against Northern Illinois, Dilger led the Illini in receiving with five receptions for 78 yards. Against #17 Ohio State two weeks later, Dilger scored the deciding touchdown in a 24–10 upset victory. Illinois finished the year with a 30–0 shutout win against East Carolina in the 1994 Liberty Bowl. Dilger recorded a 17-yard touchdown reception in the game, totaling seven catches for 60 yards. Dilger finished the year with 48 receptions for 607 yards and six touchdowns and was named to the 1994 All-Big Ten Second-Team.
Dilger was projected as a middle-round pick in the 1995 NFL draft, and was ranked as the ninth overall tight end by USA Today. He also displayed versatility as a long snapper at the 1995 NFL Combine, despite never serving as a long snapper in a collegiate game.
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Ken Dilger
Kenneth Ray Dilger (born February 2, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dilger played college football at Illinois.
Ken Dilger was raised in Mariah Hill in Spencer County, Indiana. He attended Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, Indiana, where he played quarterback on the football team. As a senior, Dilger threw for a school-record 2,005 yards and 23 touchdowns. Dilger totaled 3,750 passing yards in his high school career. He also starred in basketball and baseball.
Dilger was recruited by the University of Illinois, where he joined the football team in 1990 as a quarterback. He redshirted his freshman year. During spring practice for the 1991 season, Dilger transitioned to tight end at the request of offensive coordinator Gene Dahlquist. He quickly rose through the depth charts to earn the starting tight end role by the beginning of the season.
As a redshirt freshman in 1991, Dilger caught 18 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown. His 212 receiving yards set a freshman record for Illinois. In the second game of the season against Missouri, Dilger dropped a late pass in the endzone from quarterback Jason Verduzco that could have won the game, but the Illini lost 19–23. He redeemed himself throughout the season, with his best performance of the year coming in a 21–24 loss against Iowa, where he had five receptions for 77 yards. The Illini were ranked as high as #13 in the AP poll during the season, and played in the 1991 John Hancock Bowl, but lost 3–6 in a defensive struggle against UCLA. They finished the year at 6–6, with defensive coordinator Lou Tepper replacing John Mackovic at head coach prior to the bowl game.
In the lead-up to the 1992 season, Dilger tore cartilage in his right knee in late-August and underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. While preparing to return to the lineup, Dilger tore cartilage in his left knee, which was also surgically repaired on September 28, 1992. After missing the first five games of the season, Dilger returned in a 14–24 loss to Iowa, where he caught one pass for six yards. Dilger recorded six catches on the season for 42 yards before breaking his left wrist during practice prior to the 1992 Holiday Bowl, which ended his season.
In his redshirt junior year, Dilger battled for the starting tight end spot with senior David Olson. Dilger won out, and featured in all 11 games for the Illini. Dilger's first touchdown reception of the season came on a 17-yard pass from quarterback Johnny Johnson as the Illini upset #13-ranked Michigan, 24–21, on October 23, 1993. Dilger followed up with a 26-yard TD reception the next week in a 20–13 win over Northwestern. Dilger had 17 receptions for 212 yards and two touchdowns on the year, as the Illini finished with a 5–6 record.
Dilger's 1994 redshirt senior season was the best of his college career. Despite suffering a hamstring injury in the opening game of the season against Washington State, Dilger finished the year as the Illini's second leading receiver and tied for most receiving touchdowns. In the third game of the season against Northern Illinois, Dilger led the Illini in receiving with five receptions for 78 yards. Against #17 Ohio State two weeks later, Dilger scored the deciding touchdown in a 24–10 upset victory. Illinois finished the year with a 30–0 shutout win against East Carolina in the 1994 Liberty Bowl. Dilger recorded a 17-yard touchdown reception in the game, totaling seven catches for 60 yards. Dilger finished the year with 48 receptions for 607 yards and six touchdowns and was named to the 1994 All-Big Ten Second-Team.
Dilger was projected as a middle-round pick in the 1995 NFL draft, and was ranked as the ninth overall tight end by USA Today. He also displayed versatility as a long snapper at the 1995 NFL Combine, despite never serving as a long snapper in a collegiate game.