Five days before Ball State University's game at the University of Illinois, coach Brady Hoke labeled Illini junior Rashard Mendenhall among the best running backs he's prepared for while with the Cardinals.
That list of runners during the past five years includes former Auburn University running back Kenny Irons - a rookie with the Cincinnati Bengals - and the University of Michigan's Mike Hart - a Heisman Trophy candidate in his senior season.
After recording 189 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against the Cardinals, Mendenhall proved Hoke right.
"He was tough to slow down, and I think you have to give him credit for the athlete that he is," Hoke said. "You've got to be aggressive against him, and you've got to make him make his cuts. You can't let him dictate to you how you're going to tackle him, and I think that's one of the things we did poorly."
Ball State was able to get penetration with the defensive line throughout the game, and there were numerous plays in which the Cardinals surrounded Mendenhall with two or three defenders in the backfield. Nearly every time, however, Mendenhall showed his power and elusiveness by getting out of the trap and producing positive yards.
Ball State senior captain and outside linebacker Cortlan Booker said Mendenhall gave the Cardinals' defense plenty of frustration throughout Saturday's game.
"He's a different running back from a lot of the backs we've faced because of his size and his ability to break tackles," Booker said. "Those plays are things in football you can't account for. The only thing you can do is use your fundamentals and techniques to get in front of him and do your best to get him down. But he makes it tough on you to do that."
Illinois coach Ron Zook said he was pleased with the production his team got from its starting running back. Despite a fumble early in the fourth quarter, Zook said Mendenhall carried the Illini to their 28-17 victory against Ball State.
"I told Rashard sometime near the end of the third quarter, 'You know, you've got to put this team on your back,'" Zook said. "Other than the fumble, I think he did that. He had good production today, and as a coaching staff, we know he has that kind of ability. That's why we stay on him all the time."
Zook said he didn't think Ball State saw the junior running back's best performance.
"There's no question he left some yards out there today," Zook said. "A lot of times people don't see that, but he left some yards out there. He could've had more than 200 yards and probably another touchdown."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
