Game log · Week-by-week
2021 season · 2 games
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 30-22vs Nebraska | 16 | 75 | 4.7 | 1 | 45 | |
| Wk 1 | L 30-37vs UTSA | 9 | 32 | 3.6 | 0 | 17 | |
| Total | 25 | 107 | 4.3 | 1 | 45 |
Mike Epstein
Mike Epstein: RB · Illinois · #26.
Similar players
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
Mike Epstein
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Played for three head coaches at Illinois: Lovie Smith, Rod Smith and Bret Bielema. One game to point at: 75 rushing yards and 2 receiving yards against Nebraska — Week 1, 2021.
Style of play
Style of play
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
Fans
No outlet on our list has written about this player by name this season.
Illinois in the news
- Oregon fires OC Mehringer
LancasterOnline Oct 25 - Bret Bielema's father passes away
Yahoo Sports Oct 25 - Jalen Lott, Messiah Hampton out vs Illinois
- Oregon WR Evan Stewart arrested for DUI
Where to follow
Career stats
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Game log
Signature game
Week 1 · 2021
W 30-22
vs Nebraska
75 rush yds (16 car) · 1 TD
With B. Hayes — 45.3 yards per punt · 6 punts · 4 inside the 20 · A. Sitkowski — 124 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 97.5
Signature plays
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Nebraska · 1st and 10 · Q1 · EPA +3.30Mike Epstein run for 45 yds to the Neb 31 for a
- Week 1 · Nebraska · 1st and 10 · Q1 · EPA −1.59Mike Epstein run for a loss of 2 yards to the Illin 43
- Week 1 · UTSA · 1st and 10 · Q2 · EPA +1.52Mike Epstein run for 17 yds to the Illin 42 for a
- Week 1 · Nebraska · 1st and 10 · Q4 · EPA −1.38Mike Epstein run for a loss of 1 yard to the Illin 46 ILLINOIS Penalty, Illegal Formation ( Yards) declined
- Week 1 · UTSA · 3rd and 2 · Q3 · EPA +1.23Mike Epstein run for 2 yds to the Illin 37
- Week 1 · UTSA · 2nd and 13 · Q1 · EPA +1.12Mike Epstein run for 10 yds to the Illin 49
4 more plays
- Week 1 · Nebraska · 2nd and 12 · Q1 · EPA −1.05Mike Epstein run for a loss of 3 yards to the Illin 40
- Week 1 · Nebraska · 1st and 1 · Q2 · EPA +0.94Mike Epstein run for 1 yd for a TD, (James McCourt KICK)
- Week 1 · Nebraska · 3rd and 1 · Q2 · EPA −0.80Mike Epstein run for a loss of 1 yard to the Illin 33
- Week 1 · UTSA · 1st and 10 · Q1 · EPA −0.64Mike Epstein run for 2 yds to the Illin 34
Teams and coaches
2017Illinois2-10HC: Lovie Smith · Balanced, slow tempo
2018Illinois4-8HC: Lovie Smith · Run-heavy
2019Illinois6-7HC: Lovie Smith · Run-leaning
2020Illinois2-6HC: Lovie Smith · Run-heavy
2021Illinois5-7HC: Bret Bielema · Run-leaning
Our ratings
Splits
Home and road splits, scheme and staff
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 53.5 YDS/g, 4.2 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bret Bielema
Pass share
41.0%
321 pass / 462 run
Plays / game
65.2
12 games
Team sack rate
6.3%
378 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2021
25 carries and 2 catches in 2 games
About as many touches a game as a typical FBS running back who plays every week.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Five seasons at Illinois
- 2021 Illinois BielemaYear 5 · 2 games
- 2020 Illinois SmithYear 4 · 7 games
- 2019 Illinois SmithYear 3 · 1 game
- 2018 Illinois SmithYear 2 · 7 games
- 2017 Illinois SmithYear 1 · 5 games
- High school St. Thomas AquinasFort Lauderdale, FL · Class of 2017Three-star, No. 1,045 in the 2017 class. Signed with Illinois.Also from St. Thomas Aquinas: King Mack (NC State), Justice Fitzpatrick (Georgia), Jordan Lyle (Miami) and 49 more.
How it ended
Five seasons at Illinois, 1,270 rushing yards — the college career is complete.
A stat line in 22 games over five seasons.
2017 5 games
- Signed with IllinoisThree-star, out of St. Thomas Aquinas
Coaching lineage · 2017–2021
2 coaches2017–2020
Illinois
Coaching transition mid-career: Lovie Smith → Bret Bielema. Worth noting in scheme + development context.