The starter in Pittsburgh has gone down, and former Illini running back Rashard Mendenhall is scheduled to make his first NFL start on Monday night, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Willie Parker, the incumbent starter for the Steelers, suffered a sprained left knee late in last Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The injury opens the door for Mendenhall, who has seen minimal touches in the Steelers’ first three games (10 carries, 28 yards), to take over in the Pittsburgh backfield on the NFL regular season’s biggest stage.

Next week’s Monday Night Football matchup pits the host Steelers against the visiting Baltimore Ravens.

It is unsure exactly how much time Parker will miss due to the injury.

The Skokie, Ill., native was a critical piece in Illinois’ run to the 2008 Rose Bowl. In his three years in Champaign, Mendenhall notched 2,539 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. The Steelers selected Mendenhall with overall pick No. 23 in last April’s NFL Draft.