The 2017 season started off well at the running back position for the Illinois football team. But, things didn’t exactly end that way.
Current: C-
The leading rusher for Illinois this past season was Mike Epstein. This is baffling considering he only played in five games for the Illini and missed the final seven due to injury. But, he still finished with 57 carries for 346 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also had 4 receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown as well.
What Epstein’s stats project out to a full 12 game season is 136 carries for 830 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground and 10 receptions for 141 yards and 2 touchdowns in the air. That means he was on pace for roughly 971 total yards and 9 touchdowns for the Illini as a true freshman. Those are really impressive stats all things considered.
Honestly, the running back situation isn’t bad if I could get a guarantee that the players would stay healthy. But, I can’t so that drops the grade down. The fact Epstein was a true freshman helps, though. That means he is likely to be around for another three years.
The second leading rusher for the Illini was Kendrick Foster. He started the year as the lead back but ended up being fourth string at one time. When he did play he was solid but he now moves on to other things in life.
The backup heading into 2018 is likely going to be Ra’Von Bonner. He was another true freshman this past season and rushed for 202 yards and 4 touchdowns on 67 carries. He wasn’t a bad backup but he still has a lot to prove in my books.
Dre Brown and Reggie Corbin will also likely be back in 2018. They will both be juniors but I am not sure how much time they will see throughout the year. Overall, though, the current running back situation isn’t stable. There is a lot of potential for injury and that worries me.
Future: B-
I am extremely hesitant to give Illinois anything higher than a B- for the future at the running back position. They have the potential for more but they need to stay healthy. Also, the depth needs to be solidified. I want to see a starter and a backup. I don’t want to see a carousel of backs throughout a year.
Illinois also has a solid running back coming in from the class of 2018 as well. Jakari Norwood should bring a lot of speed to the backfield. It will be interesting to see what the coaching staff does with him in year one.
Next: Illini recruits who would move the needle
Really, the future at running back hinges on health. If Illinois can stay healthy, this grade can bump up into the A-range. If not, things could be bad for the Illini backfield.