The Big Picture: Drop and Give Me 20!

Members of the Illini ROTC do pushups for each point after a touchdown as the Fighting Illini Football team defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers 30-22. (Image by Fred Zwicky)

The Fighting Illini Army ROTC Push-Up Crew proudly takes to the turf every time the home team makes a touchdown or a field goal. While the U of I offense is on the field, the Push-Up Crew stands at parade rest behind the goal posts at the south end of Memorial Stadium. When the Fighting Illini score, the crew drops and knocks out as many push-ups as the team’s accumulated points. “High-scoring games can be quite a challenge, but the cadets of the Fighting Illini Battalion are proud to support our football team,” says Eric Ashworth, assistant professor of military science and ROTC scholarships, and enrollment officer.