When Devon Witherspoon arrived in Champaign as a late arriving freshman in training camp in 2019, he was a long, skinny defensive back who looked somewhat out of place in his long athletic shorts and helmet as he watched his new teammates practice in full pads.
Witherspoon expected to attend a junior college route until late in the summer, former Illinois coach Lovie Smith offered him an opportunity to join the Illinois program, and he made an early impact.
He quickly found a role on the Illinois defense in 2019 as an aggressive cornerback who plays with a chip on his shoulder, which is similar to how his new defensive backs coach Aaron Henry played at Wisconsin from 2007-11.
“The main thing both of us have in common, both of us like to trash talk, both being from Florida,” Henry said.
As similar as Witherspoon and Henry’s attitude on a football field might be, their paths to college couldn’t be more different. Henry was the 22nd ranked cornerback coming out of high school before enrolling at Wisconsin. Witherspoon didn’t have a single star next to his name, let alone a number ranking. But both Henry and Witherspoon play for the same head coach in Bret Bielema.
The different paths to playing in the Big Ten though haven’t slowed Witherspoon down. He carved out a role as a gunner on special teams as a gunner and eventually started three games as a freshman. In 2020, as a sophomore, he started seven games at cornerback totaling 33 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
“Fearless,” Witherspoon said. “I have to come to practice knowing I’ve got to be the best person I am every day, no days off. I run to the football every day.”
One play helps define Witherspoon’s two-year Illinois career. His touchdown saving tackle at the goal-line was a major factor in the Illini’s upset of then No. 6 Wisconsin in 2018, the biggest win during Lovie Smith’s tenure. It was arguably the biggest upset in college football that season, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Witherspoon’s effort on a play that looked like a sure TD.
Witherspoon hasn’t ever been the biggest or most talented cornerback on the field, but he has always been a “junkyard dog,” a phrase Henry uses glowing to describe his soon-to-be junior cornerback. It’s not just the attitude he plays with though, it’s the confidence and energy Witherspoon brings every day.
“It’s one of those innate qualities that you look for when you go out and recruit a kid,” Henry said. “Sometimes it’s hard to see that over the phone or it’s hard to see that if you’re not physically at a kid’s practice or physically watching him play. As his position coach, I love that.”
“He checks that box. When your players can get more up than you can as a coach as opposed to you trying to motivate them, I think sometimes that’s half the battle and Devon is always up. That’s who he is.”
