By Paul M. Banks
Heading into this season the talk about the Illinois Fighting Illini program, certainly offensively at least, was about the passing game; and the stellar group of receivers that were allegedly one of the best position groups in the nation. There were lots of questions about the defense and the running game- the latter of which took a big step backward last year. Illinois lead the Big Ten in rushing in โ06 and โ07.
But after Saturdayโs phantasmagoria, no oneโs raving about Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn anymore, the defense seems even worse than anyone’s lowest expectations, and the tailback situation is more unresolved than ever.
The Illini truly have a rotation of four guys at the position, with no real bonafide starter. The depth chart hierarchy is far from established. The injury bug bit both Daniel Dufrene and Jason Ford, the two guys who shared starting duties last season. Dufrene dressed in St. Louis, but didnโt play. Ford touched the ball once, as he nursed an ankle injury.
Illini Head Coach Ron Zook has repeatedly said that you donโt need to have a legitimate number one/go-to-guy at the position, and that itโs perfectly fine to go with a โtailback by committeeโ approach. And in certain situations (say for instance you have solid depth and talent at almost every other position) that scenario could work. But with a total disaster within every component of the team Saturday, in a game in where the Illini were heavy favorites, finding a dependable and reliable ball-carrier would be a great place to start picking up the pieces. Illinois needs to show that the program can recover from the early departure of Rashard Mendenhall.
Here are two of the candidates that could try and play the same role that Mendenhall did in โ07.
Daniel Dufrene and Troy Pollard
5-11, 205 pound senior Daniel Dufrene has without a doubt showed the most talent of all the four candidates. Heโs also BY FAR the most accomplished. Heโs mostly known for his controversial 80 yard run in the Illiniโs big win over at #1 Ohio State in 2007. Because the run ended with a fumble out of bounds, and depending on whoโs side youโre onโฆmaybe the ball should have been OSUโs? The huge upset was one of four games in which Dufrene has rushed for 95 yards or more.ย In a perfect world, Dufrene would be the unquestioned starter, as he has the most talent and speed burst, and heโs averaged 5.8 yards a carry during his Illini career.
Whatโs kept him from being the feature back, isnโt really clear. Itโs been said that heโs missed games because of arcane off-the-field issues, being in the coachโs doghouse, and mysterious health problems. He has had some injury issues, missed time for personal reasons and itโs rumored that heโs fallen out of favor with members of the coaching staff, at times. โItโs just up to the coaches. I probably did something in the game or in practice that they didnโt like and that kept me out of the game. Ultimately I just have to do what I have to do to stay on the field,โ Dufrene said when asked this veru question at Illini Media Day. So we can’t exactly answer why he’s neverย carried the rock for 25-30 timesย in a game.ย
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His career single game high for carries is 19. Perhaps a self-fulfilling prophecy keeps him from becoming the feature back- people (rightly or wrongly) think he can’t carry the load, and thus heโs never granted the opportunity.
Dufrene has a lot to prove and goals to accomplish once he reaches the field this season. โPretty much, I just want to show my toughness at handling things better than I did last year, and just being more of a leader to my fellow running backs and the whole team,โ he said. Conversely he defines his best assets as โJust my vision and my speed, and also my leadership on the field. I played the Rose Bowl and in other big games so I know how to handle things a little bit better than the freshmen and sophomores would, because they werenโt here. The year we went to the Rose Bowl it was a long season, and it was a grind, and they gotta understand that.โ
In order to get better, Dufrene does have a couple of specific RB role models in mind. โAdrian Peterson, or even Marshawn Lynch, I really kind of like his running style, also. Even Jahvid Best out at California, anyone I can pick up little things from, and learn from and make myself better, thatโs what I do,โ Dufrene told me.
Troy Pollard has had to fight off a lot of injuries taking a medical redshirt in ’07 and missing half the season in ’08. He has been explosive when actually on the gridiron, averaging six yards a carry during his illini career. And he averaged 7.6 on Sat as he led the team in rsuhing. I asked him about what he brings to the table “vision, cut back ability,” he responded. And also what he needs to work on. “Pass-blocking, I’m not really that big,” Pollard answered. Perhaps he’ll contribute more this season? as he’s finally healthy. โI feel like I can make all my cuts, Iโm feeling 100%โ
