Kante Named Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award Nominee
September 23, 2026 | Football
News
DALLAS (FWAA) — Illinois' Ismael Kante is this week's nominee for 2026 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Kante, a fifth-year linebacker, took an improbable journey to become a leader for the Fighting Illini.
"It feels great to finally call a place home," Kante told Illini Inquirer in 2024.
Kante immigrated from West Africa with his parents and five younger brothers in 2012. He took to football and wrestling while at Brooklyn Park Center High School in Minnesota, earning a football scholarship to Northern State, a Division II school in Aberdeen, S.D. He spent two years at Northern State, including a redshirt year in 2022, before transferring to Iowa Central Community College, where he became one of the best linebackers at the juco level and drew the attention of Illinois coach Bret Bielema.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Kante committed to Illinois and made his presence felt from Day 1 in Champaign. He played in all 13 games for the 9-4 Illini, and he stepped into a leadership role entering 2026.
Through three games, Kante leads the team in tackles with 15. He has one stop behind the line of scrimmage, one quarterback hurry, and he returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown in the Illini's season-opening win over UAB.
A health communications major, Kante earned Illinois' Scholar Athlete of the Week honors for Week 1. He is also a nominee for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, which is given to the FBS player who exhibits leadership through exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.
Kante is also Muslim, and he has gone to great lengths to practice, including abiding by fasting within the religion.
"It means the world because I have five younger brothers, and I'm motivation to them. And the whole city is looking at me and I'm hoping to motivate them," Kante told Illini Inquirer about his journey. "I went from D-II to JUCO to now I'm in the Big Ten. That means a lot to me. Everybody sees my work ethic and knows I work hard at this, but I'm not going to stop now."
