Hall of Fame
Position: Halfback
Years: 1953-1954
Place of Birth: Warrenton, GA
Date of Birth: Jan 17, 1933
Place of Death: Urbana, IL
Date of Death: Nov 17, 2017
Jersey Number: 26
Height: 6-0
Weight: 184
High School: Columbia, SC (Booker T. Washington HS)
A gifted 6-0, 184-pound speedy halfback known as "Mr. Zoom", J.C. Caroline was one of the best running backs in Illinois history. He led the nation in rushing as a sophomore in 1953, gaining 1,256 yards in nine games to set the Big Ten record at the time and helping the Illini to a 7-1-1 record and a share of the conference title. A First Team All-American that season, he finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy balloting.
As a junior in 1954, Caroline rushed for 440 yards in four games. An injury forced him to miss the rest of the season.
Caroline signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in 1955 before joining the Chicago Bears for a decade, where he mainly played defensive back. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie and finished with 24 career interceptions.
Caroline worked as an assistant coach at Illinois before becoming a physical education teacher and coach in Urbana, Ill. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 84.
