Derek Dimke sets sights on being best kicker in country

Heading into his senior year, Dimke, a Rockford Boylan High School graduate, earned second-team all-Big Ten last season after setting a single-season school record with 24 field goals. After taking over the job late in his sophomore season, Dimke is 29-for-34 on field goals, and his career 85.3-percent accuracy rate is on pace to surpass the school record of 84 percent set by Sacred Heart-Griffin graduate Peter Christofilakos from 1999 to 2002.

Dimke made 10 consecutive field goals in the middle of last season, and he's perfect on all 55 extra-point kicks in his career. Dimke also logged 22 touchbacks in 79 kickoffs last season.

"He's got a chance to be the best kicker in the country," Illinois coach Ron Zook said.

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