Illini senior offensive linemen Doug Kramer and Alex Palczewski planned for the 2020 season to be their last in Champaign. However, like most things in 2020, that plan didn’t come to fruition.

Now, Kramer and Palczewski decided to take advantage of the NCAA granting a free year of eligibility, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two will both get an opportunity to anchor Illinois' offensive line under new Head Coach Bret Bielema.

Kramer and Palczewski have both started for the Illini since their freshmen season in 2017 and have combined for 77 starts in their Illini career. Palczewski will have an opportunity to become the all-time leader in career starts in 2021 – a record of 48 currently shared by Nathan Scheelhaase (2010-13), Ryan McDonald (2005-08) and Tim Simpson (1988-91).

“It wasn’t really my decision,” Palczewski said. “It was my ACL’s decision. Wasn’t happy with the way I left it off, so I just decided to fire it up one more year.”

Palczewski tore his ACL against Rutgers in Illinois first Big Ten win, but the injury required surgery and forced him to miss the rest of the 2020 season.

Kramer, despite being an undersized Big Ten center, has started 37 games in his career, but was forced to miss a pair of games against Purdue and Minnesota, due to COVID-19 contact tracing protocols Illinois had in place for the pandemic plagued season. Kramer was also held out of the Illini’s season finale against Penn State, due to an ankle injury. In total, Kramer missed three of Illinois eight games in 2020.

“It means the world to be on this team another year,” Kramer said. “I was super frustrated with how the season went for myself and our team. … I’m really looking forward to next year and just super thankful that I get another chance.”

Kramer and Palczewski have been captains for the Illini since the 2019 season and both project to be three-time captains by the time they leave Illinois following the 2021 season. Their leadership could come in handy next season should Illinois have to replace left tackle Vederian Lowe and redshirt-junior left guard Kendrick Green on the offensive line. Lowe was also a senior in 2020 and could look to continue his football career in the NFL and Green was named first-team All-Big Ten and second-team USA TODAY All-America for his play in 2020.

Should Illinois lose Lowe and Green, Illinois looks to be in a good position to replace them. Julian Pearl played right tackle in Palczewski’s absence this season and Wofford transfer Blake Jeresaty can slide in at guard, along with Jordyn Slaughter.

“I told them I’m going to be biased and I want them to come back to have one more ride with the boys,” Palczewski said. “Hopefully, they come back and we can ride it out one more year.”

The 2020 season featured a lot of adversity for Illinois football – most notably Lovie Smith being fired – but having Kramer and Palczewski for one more season opens the door for Illinois to start the Bielema era off on strong footing.

“We know we’re facing a lot of adversity,” Kramer said. “That’s part of the reason I wanted to stay, just to keep fighting through it and really stick it out and finish this thing out the right way.”