Illinois Football: The 30 greatest Illini players of all time

There has always been a tradition of great running backs to come through the Illinois football program. The legends that have stepped foot in Memorial Stadium are impressive. Rashard Mendenhall is the best I have ever seen suit up at running back for the Orange and Blue.

Mendenhall rushed for 2,539 yards during his career with the Illini, which only ranks No. 10 on the all-time list. But the reason he is only No. 10 is the fact he played just three seasons and his big year was his final one with the program.

He rushed for 1,681 yards during his junior campaign, which ranks No. 2 all time for the Illini in single-season rushing. He is also No. 1 in single-season rushing touchdowns with 17.

Somehow, Mendenhall wasn’t a First-Team All-American his junior year. He was First-Team All-Big Ten, though. And he won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award in 2007 as well. Let’s also call it like it is, Mendenhall was the biggest reason Illinois made the Rose Bowl in 2007. We stormed that season going 9-3 and beating No. 1 Ohio State.

I realize some people are going to argue that Mendenhall doesn’t deserve to be this high. But I think he does. I think he ends up being, potentially, the leading rusher in school history if he sticks around for his senior campaign. This guy was a legend for this Illinois football program.