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Illinois Football: Top 5 Illini running back duos since 2000

By Rees Woodcock

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 23: Joshua McCray #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini carries the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at Beaver Stadium on October 23, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 23: Joshua McCray #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini carries the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at Beaver Stadium on October 23, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Oct 23, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini running back Chase Brown (2) walks to the locker room following the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini running back Chase Brown (2) walks to the locker room following the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Chase Brown & Josh McCray – 1,554 yards, 7 TD

Most of the duos on this list departed the program the following season for one reason or another. Most of the duos are also from the 2000s. But checking it at No. 4 is current Illinois running back duo of Chase Brown and Josh McCray.

Think about this for a second. Brown and McCray are already on the top five running back duos list and they still have two more seasons to play together. That is a crazy thing to think about. They may end up being No. 1 on this list if things continue to trend in the right direction.

Last season was special for this running back duo. Brown finally got his chance to shine as the lead back, and he would go for 1,005 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. This was just the first year of the Bret Bielema era too.

I looked at Brown as the lightning in the backfield. He is able to slash well and can make a defender miss. His partner is McCray, who is more of the thunder in the backfield.

McCray would finish his true freshman campaign with 549 yards and two touchdowns. He is a straight-line runner who is going to bulldoze you over if you don’t move. The future is so bright for this Alabama monster.

The 549 yards McCray was able to amass last season is the most by any second running back on this list. That is the reason why Brown and McCray are ahead of Corbin and Epstein. This duo is truly a better duo of running back talent.

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