Running the football wasn’t the Illinois football team’s strength during the 2014 season. The Illini ranked 13th in the Big Ten in rushing offense, averaging 117.5 yards per game and 3.7 yards per run.

Starting running back Josh Ferguson is returning for his senior season, but with the departure of Donovonn Young, the fight for the backup spot is wide open. Newcomers such as freshman Dre Brown and junior transfer Henry Enyenihi have made progress, but there is still work left before the start of the season.

“They’re doing well, they’re catching along well,” Ferguson said. “Being around Coach (Bill) Cubit has helped them a lot as well, it’s just up to them to get into the playbook and get the things down.”

Brown has made the biggest impression during the spring. After missing the first part of the spring due to a knee injury, he rested during spring break and has risen to the top of the pack. Both head coach Tim Beckman and Cubit said Tuesday that if the season started the next day, Brown would be the No. 2 running back. He received most of the reps in the team’s open practice at Springfield’s Sacred Heart-Griffin High School on Friday.

Ferguson will be used more as a dual-threat running back in the slot position with the absence of wide receiver Mike Dudek, who is sidelined with a partially torn ACL. With Ferguson’s experience as a fifth-year senior, the team will try to rest him as much as possible to keep him healthy, creating an opportunity for his backup to rise to the occasion.

“They have to get up to the pace of a college football game, that’s probably the biggest issue we have right now,” Cubit said. “But we’re not playing tomorrow, we have a long way to go … they have to show patience and urgency.”

Similar face, new job

Beckman announced Friday that Ryan Cubit would be added to the full-time coaching staff as quarterback coach and recruiting coordinator.

Ryan Cubit joined the Illinois staff prior to the 2013 season and served two years as director of football student-athlete development. He was heavily involved in recruiting, oversaw all on-campus activities of student-athletes in the program, while also managing on-campus admissions for incoming freshmen and transfers.

Ryan’s father Bill Cubit will remain as offensive coordinator and will coach running backs. Alex Golesh will take over as special teams coordinator while also coaching tight ends and specialists.

Ryan Cubit coached quarterbacks at Western Michigan and is enthusiastic about his group of signal-callers.

“It’s not something new for me,” Ryan Cubit said. “I have experience doing it so I’m excited for it, it’s a new challenge for me.”

Spring teams announced

Beckman announced the spring game rosters Tuesday.

The roster will be divided into an Orange team and a White team, with the ones (starters) playing on the Orange team and twos and threes playing on the White team.

There will be some players playing for both teams. The group will wear blue jerseys and play for both teams, and all will be subbed out from play-to-play to make sure they get rest.

The White team will start the game with a 17-0 lead due to the disparity of players on each team, and for Beckman, the goal for each team is simple.

“The White team has to hold the lead and our No. 1s need to try to capture the lead from the White team.”

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