Illini's Dufrene, other running backs look to fill Mendenhall's shoes
Running back Daniel Dufrene provided the Illinois football team with a Plan B last season, when the Illini weren't sure what they had with Rashard Mendenhall. After Mendenhall set single-season school records with 1,681 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns, he earned Big Ten MVP, jumped to the NFL and left Dufrene as Plan A.
A junior this fall, Dufrene began his career at Vanderbilt, spent his redshirt freshman season in junior college and apprenticed under Mendenhall last year.
"The big thing was when we recruited Daniel, we had an unknown with Pierre Thomas graduating, in terms of how Rashard would be,'' said offensive coordinator Mike Locksley. "We knew he had talent. We recruited a JC guy who gave us the experience of a guy who played college football.
"The way Rashard developed and the way Daniel came in and complemented him will benefit us this year.''
Dufrene and three freshmen take over at running back in a rushing offense that led the Big Ten the last two seasons and took pressure off quarterback Juice Williams. Illinois rushed for 3,338 yards last season, 728 more than any other Big Ten team.
Troy Pollard, who received a medical redshirt after a knee injury last season, plus true freshmen Mikel LeShoure and Jason Ford are the other main options in what could become a position handled by committee.
"We've got some guys capable of stepping in,'' Locksley said. "To replace 1,700 yards, we still have a lot of work to do. We still have to find that game. Daniel has game experience, and we hope that he's the guy that steps up. We're a work in progress.''
The 5-foot-11, 201-pound Dufrene rushed for 294 yards and two touchdowns last season while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. His signature run came on Illinois' second offensive play against No. 1 Ohio State. Dufrene raced 80 yards to set up Illinois' answer to Ohio State's opening touchdown in the upset victory.
"The mindset is the same,'' Dufrene said. "Whoever steps in there has to do the job and make plays. It's the same mindset as last year. I'm just a hard-nosed runner who makes plays, a slasher. I try to use my speed. We all have our own talents. We all can do our own things well to keep the running game going like last year.''
Dufrene chose Vanderbilt after his senior season at Fort Lauderdale Stranahan High School. Dufrene didn't play in his only season with the Commodores, then rushed for 750 yards and nine touchdowns at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif. He chose the Illini over UCLA and Louisville.
"He's got a tremendous burst and speed,'' Locksley said. "He runs the zone play really well. We have to get him to stick it up in there and catch the ball better. Looking at the development of the running backs in this system, even Rashard got better as he got experience and his role expanded. We expect the same thing from Daniel.''
The 5-8, 180-pound Pollard is limited to individual work and rehabilitation after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his fourth game last fall. Emerging in his first season at Illinois, Pollard gained 148 yards rushing while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He gained 92 yards against Syracuse. Pollard was considered a top 100 recruit in Florida as a Jacksonville (Fla.) Andrew Jackson High School senior, but he still might have to answer durability questions.
LeShoure, of Champaign Centennial, got an early jump by enrolling for spring semester classes and going through spring drills. The 6-0, 220-pound battering ram has good foot speed and wears the No. 5 left available by Mendenhall's departure. Coach Ron Zook said he planned to keep LeShoure as a running back rather than moving him to fullback.
Ford set the St. Louis-area rushing record with 6,415 yards during his Belleville Althoff career, but he won't be on campus until this summer. Listed at 6-0, 209-pounds, Ford is more like LeShoure than Dufrene, Locksley said.
"That's the kind of contrast we've had here,'' Locksley said. "Pierre was more physical, and Rashard was a little quicker. Last year, Rashard was a bigger guy and Daniel was smaller. We've got pretty good complement in terms of style. We don't pigeon-hole a guy for this offense. We try to get the best running back, regardless of size.''
Now the Illini must fill the big hole at running back.
NOTES: Sophomore receiver Arrelious Benn was cleared to compete in some drills after a checkup on his surgically repaired shoulder Monday. Benn still wears the red jersey signifying he's off limits to contact. He won't go in the scrimmage Saturday at Lemont, Zook said. . . Defensive tackle D'Angelo McCray was limited Tuesday because of swelling in his knee. . . Running back Walter Mendenhall, Rashard's older brother, has left the team with plans to transfer to a Division I-AA program where he could see playing time.
John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com. For more coverage, read Illini Talk blog at www.sj-r.com <http://www.sj-r.com> and www.pjstar.com <http://www.pjstar.com> .