Mendenhall Almost Quit Football Last Year

[JonCJG]

Posted by Mike Florio on June 15, 2008, 6:08 p.m.

In April, running back Rashard Mendenhall became a first-round draft pick, landing with the Steelers.

It almost didn’t happen.

According to the Urbana/Champaign News-Gazette, Mendenhall nearly quit football prior to the 2007 season.

“I sat down and I was like, ‘If this is what football is, I don’t know if I want to do that anymore,’” Mendenhall said. “I’m not soft at all. I’m not scared of adversity. I’m don’t care if somebody’s yelling at me. That’s not what it was about at all.

“I want to be happy in my life. I know I can walk away from this. I know I can finish school, get a job.”

Mendenhall’s brother, Walter, talked him into sticking with it, intervening just as Mendenhall was preparing to walk out of the team’s facility.

Though the specifics aren’t clear (apart from a vague reference by Mendenhall to “things that were said&#8221, Mendenhall had a problem of some sort with coach Ron Zook. “To tell you the truth,” Mendenhall said, “as long as Ron Zook is there it will be hard for me to support the University of Illinois football team.”

We’ve got a feeling that, eventually, we’ll be hearing more about whatever it was that has created a fractured relationship between the two men.

 

[JonCJG]

Ron Zook is a lying snake.

However, there has to be more to the story. If the kid really loved the sport, why the thoughts about quiting altogether? Why not simply transfer to another school?

 

[sago1]

Didn't Mendenhall already make 1 transfer. Would he be allowed to transfer again and retain his eligibility rights?

 

[JonCJG]

Didn't Mendenhall already make 1 transfer. Would he be allowed to transfer again and retain his eligibility rights?

http://rivals100.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?sport=1&pr_key=22186

He never transferred.

 

[sago1]

Thanks, my mistake.

 

[theogt]

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117829

More confirmation.

 

[ZeroClub]

It's easy to take these things out of context and to blow it out of proportion ... but if I were going to invest extra big bucks in a rookie first round draft choice, that talk of quitting would get my attention.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

I dont know how you do what he did(1 year, but still) w/o work ethic.

Guy obviously puts a lot of time in the weight room.


I love the game, but Id be surprised if a ran under a 5 second 40. I couldnt bench 225 once. Only around 200.


I actually think heart is overrated, call me crazy. Would you rather have Mike Hart or Mendenhall?

 

[JonCJG]

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117829

More confirmation.

Makes me appreciate the kind of character Felix has even more. Hard working, "whatever I can do to help the team" mentality. He seems hungry to prove himself worthy of a first round selection, plus he has a happy go lucky vibe to him which is great for the locker room.

Didn't love the pick at the time, but he's growing on me fast.

 

[cowboyjoe]

i agree with you guys about mendenhall, i had heard that he doesnt like to work hard, and thats why some people in the draft said why he fell, is he a one year wonder, and only wants to play a couple of years, get money then leave football

i would rather have a guy with heart like felix jones, rememember now, we had another great running back with heart , emmitt smith

i want a guy that wants to play for the team concept, win with heart,

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Zook is such a good recruiter.....I thought the players really liked him

 

[jterrell]

I dont know how you do what he did(1 year, but still) w/o work ethic.

Guy obviously puts a lot of time in the weight room.


I love the game, but Id be surprised if a ran under a 5 second 40. I couldnt bench 225 once. Only around 200.


I actually think heart is overrated, call me crazy. Would you rather have Mike Hart or Mendenhall?

interesting question but we may well be suerprised at which is better in 5 years.

rb is a position for heart for sure.
hart's measurables were bad but not so far from Emmitt Smith's and Emmitt turned out OK.

 

[JonCJG]

I dont know how you do what he did(1 year, but still) w/o work ethic.

Guy obviously puts a lot of time in the weight room.


I love the game, but Id be surprised if a ran under a 5 second 40. I couldnt bench 225 once. Only around 200.


I actually think heart is overrated, call me crazy. Would you rather have Mike Hart or Mendenhall?

Well in the 05 draft, 9 rb's, including 3 in the top ten were drafted in front of Barber because they had more "talent". But Barber's heart, and his child like enthusiasm for the game, has made him the best rb selected in that year's class.

Heart is no overrated. Emmitt and M Irvin will tell you the same.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Makes me appreciate the kind of character Felix has even more. Hard working, "whatever I can do to help the team" mentality. He seems hungry to prove himself worthy of a first round selection, plus he has a happy go lucky vibe to him which is great for the locker room.

Didn't love the pick at the time, but he's growing on me fast.

things like this can really do alot to sway the direction of picks, esp. when 2 prospects are neck-and-neck

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Well in the 05 draft, 9 rb's, including 3 in the top ten were drafted in front of Barber because they had more "talent". But Barber's heart, and his child like enthusiasm for the game, has made him the best rb selected in that year's class.

Heart is no overrated. Emmitt and M Irvin will tell you the same.



Im just saying talent usually overrides heart. Mike Hart has all the heart in the world, but, physically, hes inferior to Mendenhall and will have a less succesful career.

 

[tomson75]

Im just saying talent usually overrides heart. Mike Hart has all the heart in the world, but, physically, hes inferior to Mendenhall and will have a less succesful career.

Speculate much?

 

[Horshu]

As an Illini fan, Mendenhall had a very bad knack of not protecting the ball his sophomore year. Would rip off 8 yards only to fumble it away because he failed to protect the rock. He lost PT for that reason and was never happy about the decision to give the bulk of the carries to Pierre Thomas (Saints) in 2006. Great runner, poor attitude. Zook challenged his manhood which benefited Mendenhall in the end...pushed the right buttons to get him to play up to his ability in 2007. Mendenhall should be thanking Zook for his first round selection status rather than tearing the man down. Another example of a very talented player who felt threatened when someone took his reps!