Historically, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was known, in part, because of a dominant staple of Wisconsin running backs each season.
In the 2012 Big Ten Title game, Wisconsin defeated Nebraska, 70-31, and his running backs recorded:
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Melvin Gordon: 9 carries for 216 yards & 1 touchdown
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Montee Ball: 21 carries for 209 yards & 3 touchdowns
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James White: 15 carries for 109 yards & 4 touchdowns
Since Bielema arrived to Champaign, he’s embraced more of an up-tempo spread offense and has thrown the football more often — it’s worked, Illinois’ enjoying its winningest five-year stretch since 1905 with 37 wins.
But he still wants to run the football. I’ll never forget when he arrived to Champaign, and once said, “When you throw for 300 yards, you have a chance to win. When you run for 300 yards, you will win.”
Here’s how Illinois’ rushing stats rank in the Big Ten since Bielema arrived:
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2021: 7th/14 at 173.8 yards per game & 4.5 yards per carry
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2022: 6th/14 at 166.2 yards per game & 4.0 yards per carry
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2023: 10th/14 at 126.4 yards per game & 3.8 yards per carry
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2024: 8th/18 at 157.2 yards per game & 4.4 yards per carry
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2025: 13th/18 at 138 yards per game & 3.9 yards per carry
Illinois likely wants an improved rushing attack in 2026. In 2025, they struggled to run the ball against defenses like Indiana, Ohio State, Duke and Wisconsin.
However, they also ran the ball at will against USC and Tennessee, and in 2024, at will in the entire month of November and against South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl.
It’ll be key for the talented, new look offensive line — four new starters — to gel and play consistent.
In the Spring, Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney discussed the rushing attack.
“If you polled all of our coaches on offense and asked them the same question, I think everybody would be would feel pretty strongly in saying that they feel good about what we’ve accomplished this spring and the run schemes and and the run game in general,” said Lunney. “Just comparatively to the Springs that I’ve been here, I believe that our identity in the run game has really came through through the course of spring.”
Of course bringing back running backs like Laughery and Valentine help, but Bielema has praised the offensive line’s skill set.
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Christian Martin arrives from Colorado State, and Bielema had his eye on him for months after Jay Norvell was fired as the Rams head coach
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Jake Renfro is a player Bielema has known for years. When healthy, he’s an impressive Big Ten center, and he even started a CFP game for Cincinnati in 2021.
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And Bielema has hyped up backup center TJ McMillen, who started the Purdue game last season.
The running game
The RB room looks a little different. RB coach Thad Ward is off to Kansas State, and was replaced by former Michigan great Tyrone Wheatley.
And Kaden Feagin, the 6’3 Central Illinois native, has moved to tight end.
But Illinois returns one of its top skill players in Valentine, who has three years left of playing time and had over 600 yards last season. He’s fast, but also possesses good field vision and can make defenders miss.
Bielema said, “I think Valentine, who’s got obviously a lot of ability and skill set, has been a very impressive player here on certain areas that have nothing to do with the ball in his hands. Like he’s really done a better job, in pass protection. You can just tell his awareness factor is through the roof.”
And Laughery is back for a fifth season. When healthy, he’s speedy and a strong Big Ten performer. In 2024, he finished the year well and was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 170 yards in the win over Northwestern.
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2024 stats: 12 games, 97 carries for 589 yards, 6.1 yards per carry and four touchdowns.
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2025 stats: 9 games, 75 carries for 382 yards, 5.1 yards per carry and three touchdowns.
In the Music City Bowl, he rushed for 13 carries and 77 yards in the win over Tennessee.
Wild Card
5th year senior Jordan Anderson is back at running back. The Joliet Catholic graduate played tight end last year, but in the Music City Bowl, he showed strong play as an H-back type role. OC Lunney used him creatively vs. Tennessee, with a full-back-esque handoff that went for 13 yards on 4th and 1.
Could Anderson become the new Kaden Feagin? And become the goal line rusher and scored a bunch of touchdowns? He’s 6’4 and 240 pounds and can be hard to tackle in short yardage situations.
We’ll see.
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