Mike Epstein is a Pass-Catching Back for Illinois. Mike's 2018 season ranks in the 43th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 70 plays — a developing rate for the RB.
Third-down weapon out of the backfield. Routes, hands, and separation in coverage define this role as much as rushing.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsKent State | W31-24 | -20.4 | 8 | 33 | 4.1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.32 |
| 2 | vsWestern Illinois | W34-14 | — | 8 | 105 | 13.1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0.66 |
| 3 | vsSouth Florida | L19-25 | -1.2 | 19 | 113 | 5.9 | 1 | 5 | 56 | 0 | 0.34 |
| 4 | vsPenn State | L24-63 | 19.0 | 13 | 73 | 5.6 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 0.30 |
| 6 | @Rutgers | W38-17 | -12.3 | 9 | 63 | 7.0 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.15 |
| 7 | vsPurdue | L7-46 | 6.5 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0.22 |
| 8 | @Wisconsin | L20-49 | 15.5 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.34 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Car 2 · Rush Yds 14 · Avg 7.0 · Rush TD 0
