Illinois Football: Illini could use a two-headed monster in the backfield

The Illinois football team has a great history of producing talented running backs that have wowed spectators.

From Red Grange to Rashard Mendenhall and everyone in between, there have been some legendary ball carriers. Illinois has one of the roster right now as well. Reggie Corbin finally had his chance to shine in 2018 and didn’t disappoint. He finished the season rushing for 1,085 yards and nine touchdowns. We only get one more year of Corbin, though. After the 2019 campaign, he will depart due to graduation.

Who will replace Corbin and his production in the Illini backfield? Could it be Mike Epstein who has shown flashes of greatness but has trouble staying on the field? Ra’Von Bonner who is starting to come along but his yards per carry aren’t great. Or is it is going to be a young guy like Jakari Norwood or incoming freshman Kyron Cumby?

The names mentioned above sound like good options, but none of them have proved that they are starter quality players yet. That leaves the door wide open for running backs to come in from the class of 2020 and show that they can be that starter Coach Rod Smith and the Illini are looking for.

Reggie Love has already committed to the Orange and Blue for 2020. He is a player who can come in and be a contender for the starting job from day one. He is a talented, quick, running back who is ranked in the top 400 in his class. It would not shock me to see him take the reins of this offensive backfield. But could we have a two-headed monster come 2020?

Another option to pair with Love in the backfield is Quadre Nicholson. He is a similar running back to Love in the fact he is quick, can find the open holes and has the ability to break tackles. He also had a 7.1 yards per carry average during his junior year of high school. I want that on the Illini roster.

Nicholson is a vastly underrated talent, though. He is ranked just inside the top 1400 in his class, but he has scholarship offers from big-time programs like Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Michigan State. The offers and what I am seeing with my eyes tell me this kid is talented.

Developing a two-heading monster in the Illinois backfield would only be beneficial to the Orange and Blue. Not only would they have two talented players carrying the rock, but they would also fit the mold that Coach Smith wants in the backfield. They are both built like Corbin and have the same basic attributes.

If Illinois could pull in Nicholson, they would then have the best backfield I have seen for the program in my lifetime. The Illini are in the running for Nicholson, and he is just the last piece to the puzzle for life after Corbin in the backfield.