MSL to NFL: Palczewski's Journey from Prospect to Illini Success Wasn't Easy
Super-Senior Offensive Lineman Drives Nationally Ranked Big Ten West Leaders
Illinois super-senior Alex Palczewski lost the typical anonymous offensive lineman role when he was featured on the Big Ten Network’s “Big Ten Football: The Journey” this week.
Journey is an accurate description of Palczewski’s ride from Prospect to Champaign. It is one filled with a lot of starts, a few stops and numerous obstacles and frustration. Not unlike dealing with all the road work currently taking place on Interstate 57.
But now, as Palczewski nears his final stretch of his college playing career, there is finally some clear driving in his sixth season as a starter, as he has helped the Fighting Illini to the top of the Big Ten West standings and a No. 14 ranking in the country. And Prospect assistant coach Tim Beishir, who helped start “Palcho” on this path to success, couldn’t be happier.
“It’s been great,” said Beishir, who talks or texts with Palczewski once or twice a week. “It’s been fun to see and it’s been quite a road for him. I love for him to have great success because he’s worked so hard.
“It’s been a great experience. There were some high points (in previous years) like beating Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan State, but this year is pretty special.”
The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Palczewski set a Big Ten Conference record when he made his 60th career start in last Saturday’s 26-9 win at Nebraska. The right tackle is helping pave the way for Chase Brown, the nation’s leading rusher with 1,208 yards and a Heisman Trophy candidate. He also has 528 consecutive pass blocks without allowing a sack, according to Pro Football Focus.
Fittingly, second-year Illinois head coach Bret Bielema presented him with a game ball after the Nebraska victory.
“I’m excited for this program,” Palczewski told the Illini Inquirer after the Nebraska game. “To see the change that’s happened, it’s awesome. I’m happy to be an Illini.”
Just getting to Illinois had its share of obstacles. Palczewski suffered a fractured vertebrae in his neck that derailed his junior season at Prospect and his only scholarship offer during his senior season was from Virginia Military Institute. They were going to take it when Beishir, during a government class parent-teacher conference with Palczewski’s mom Bozena, quickly shot out, “Don’t do that.”
Beishir thought something along the lines of U of I was a bigger and better fit than VMI. A quick courtship with Illinois led to a scholarship offer.
“I wanted to stay home and fight for Illinois,” he said just prior to signing day.
The Illini were coming off the first year of ex-Bears and current Houston Texans head coach Lovie Smith and ex-Illini tight end and new athletic director Josh Whitman trying to clean up the disaster left by coach Tim Beckman and athletic director Mike Thomas. Beishir told Palczewski getting redshirted would be good to prepare him for the physical and mental rigors of Big Ten football.
Instead, Palczewski wound up in the starting lineup for all but one game as a true freshman.
“It was a baptism by fire but he grew from there,” Beishir said in what truly turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
There were more challenges ahead. Palczewski started 40 consecutive games when he tore an ACL in his knee four games into the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Two foot surgeries would follow. And Smith would get fired after five seasons in Champaign.
“I sure tried to pick him up (during tough times),” Beishir said. “Alex is an in-the-foxhole type of guy. He was mad when they clipped Lovie, and he loves Bielema, but he didn’t want anything like that to happen. It was frustrating at times. It was two steps forward and one step back.”
After last season, where Palczewski’s slow recovery resulted in a move from tackle to guard for the final five games, the Illini were 19-38 in his time in Champaign. It looked like he would be trying to take the next step to the NFL until Bielema realized no redshirt had been applied for when Palczewski played less than five games in 2020.
Bielema applied for a waiver and when it was granted by the NCAA. He called Palczewski after the Hula Bowl about returning for a sixth season.
“Initially he was done last year and he was going to train and try to prepare for the draft or the (free agent) signing process,” Beishir said. “They recruited him back. He was weighing his options if he should pursue the NFL. Now he’s showing what he can do and I think it was a wise investment to come back.”
Especially how the season has gone for him and the Illini. They are 7-1 for the first time since 2001 when they were led by Schaumburg star Kurt Kittner at quarterback. Palczewski finally has some coaching continuity with former Elk Grove star Bart Miller in his second season coaching the offensive linemen. They could wrap up the West title and a spot in the Big Ten championship game with wins the next two weeks over Michigan State and Purdue.
Palczewski has also done his part to help Bielema and his staff regain a recruiting foothold in the state. Redshirt freshman linebacker Luke Zardzin and freshman offensive lineman Sam Tsagalis have also made the trip from Prospect.
And Palczewski understands how much help it took for all the tough times to finally pay off. He broke down during “The Journey” as he thought of all the sacrifices his parents Bozena and Andrzej made by coming here from Poland to find a better life and ultimately giving him the chance to succeed.
“He wants to do such a good job for the people who supported him,” Beishir said. “When people came down to see him play he wanted to get a win for them.
“We went to the Iowa game this year (9-6 win). I’ve been to several games throughout the years at multiple sites like Soldier Field, my wife and I flew to San Francisco for the bowl game (in 2019), and I had never seen him win. I saw all the near misses. I’m so proud of him.”