 Rashard Mendenhall Combine Interview Running back Rashard Mendenhall made a huge impact in 2007 for Illinois. Without Mendenhall, the Fighting Illini would not have found themselves in the Rose Bowl. Mendenhall talked with the media at the NFL Combine. How good is this running back class? I definitely feel like it’s a very good group of running backs, especially with a lot of the junior class coming out. As to where I fit in, I definitely feel like I am up toward the top. I feel like I am a complete back--a guy that can make you miss and a guy that can take it the distance as well--a big guy and a third-down back and that’s why I feel like I am towards the top as a player. On sharing time Having to share time, that’s part of the NFL, you know being a running back. More teams are going to the two-back system and that’s not a problem for me. Right now I am focused on the combine and making it to a team. Whatever happens from then on, I will take it as it comes. On the advantages of coming out as a junior There are positives and negatives to it. One of them is you haven’t taken a lot of the beating as some of the senior guys. But at the same time you don’t have as much experience. It’s definitely a double-edged sword as far as being a junior and coming out early. What was the reason you finally broke through? Just being on the field, just having that opportunity, that chance. My first two years I wasn’t on the field as much. My junior year was my first year of being on the field and I was productive because of it. Are you surprised so many juniors came out? It wasn’t too much of a surprise being in the talk of being drafted. You don’t get the chance to play in the NFL every day. When that chance comes there is a lot of risk and reward and being a junior running back you see a lot of people coming out. On beating Ohio State It was a great feeling. Ohio State was the No. 1 team in the country at that time I believe. Nobody gave us a chance and for us to go in there and take that win was definitely exciting and a very rewarding feeling. On the Rose Bowl The experience of going to California was definitely a fun experience to cap off our season, especially after the last two years to only have two wins--four wins in two seasons--to win nine games and finish off with a Rose Bowl is definitely a great feeling and exciting time. Anybody that was there would definitely be proud of it. Has your rise happened quickly? It did happen quick, but I wouldn’t say I wasn’t expecting it. I knew I had to wait my turn and I knew whenever it happened I would present myself and I’d be able to have this opportunity and be at this level. I was able to do it. I got my chance and my opportunity my junior year and I was able to do it. What do you need to work on? I feel like I am pretty solid as a player. I started for one year, but being in the college game and playing, I feel like I have developed well and I learned a lot from guys in front of me. Being at running back, the thing you do least is pass-blocking and that is a big part of it at the next level. So I would say something you have to work on as a running back is pass-blocking and everything in the passing game as far as running routes. Thoughts on Kevin Smith? I know he’s a pretty good player, led the country in rushing and he’s a big guy who can break tackles. He is definitely a great player. If he wasn’t he wouldn’t be where he is right now. What are your interests off the field? It’s a big part of it, this process of being at the combine. Everyone wants to know a lot about your character and your background, and what you do off the field. One of the things I do off the field, I like a lot of relaxing. I write a lot. I read some things that kind of relax me. I watch movies and stuff like that. On coming from the spread offense I don’t think there will be too much of a difference. Our offense, a lot of people see it as a spread, but we have more of a multiple offense where we had a lot of I formation, we had some three-back. We had a lot of different things we practiced and worked on a lot of different things. Come game time we were in the spread moreso, but we were in the I a lot as well and a lot of different formations. I don’t think it will be too much of a jump. Could you be the top back taken? I definitely think it is possible, that’s where I see myself. But as far as what is going to happen and where I am projected that is not under my control. All I can do is present myself well and do well at the Combine. From then on, the NFL teams have got to decide that. What will be the key factor? I’m not sure. I want to compete. I want to do everything. I am going to lay myself out there...whatever happens after that whatever weighs in, it all has to do with the NFL.
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