'He epitomizes traits conducive to leading': Epstein Attempting Injury-to-Star Role Once Again

For the fourth time in his football career dating back to high school, Illinois tailback Mike Epstein is trying to rebound from a severe injury.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Mike Epstein is officially done with the idea of mental repetitions.

The concept of a mental rep is nothing but overrated to the Illinois junior tailback, because for the better part of his high school and college career that’s all he’s done.

Epstein is the human version of the University of Illinois football team that could compare to the Greek mythology story of Sisyphus, a figure destined to eternal punishment of forever rolling a boulder up a hill only for it to roll all the way down every time it nears the top. Epstein has suffered significant injuries in each of his first three seasons and has missed 19 games. After missing the last five games of the 2018 season, Epstein found his way near the top of the Illini depth chart for the 2019 opener against Akron. After just eight carries for 45 yards in that season opener, Epstein suffered a season-ending knee injury and was once again forced to restart rehabilitation again.

"I took plenty of (mental reps). I know those are important (but) I’m done taking those. I’m ready to take some physical reps like we’ve been doing and I’m ready to get back on the field." - Illinois tailback Mike Epstein

“I’ve had some bad breaks but there’s nothing I can do about it now,” Epstein said. “I have to move forward and play the cards that I’m dealt. I’m blessed. I’m able to be healthy now, I’ve got some extra time under my belt to make this a special season. I’m going to do everything in my power to do that."

Illinois Fighting Illini running back Mike Epstein (26) runs the ball against the Akron Zips during the second half of this 2019 season-opening game at Memorial Stadium. Epstein would eventually suffer a season-ending knee injury in this game.  :: Patrick Gorski/USA TODAY Sports

Since suffering that injury against Akron, Epstein has planted himself in the film room and done several actions of mental quizzes on assignments within the offense developed by Illinois offensive coordinator Rod Smith.

“He’s a veteran man and not just a veteran but he’s a team-first guy,” Smith said. “Even when he hasn’t had the best luck at certain times, he’s the guy rooting for teammates, showing up for meetings and doing things he probably didn’t have to honestly. To me, he’s a consummate professional and it’s paying off for him right now because he knew, at that time, it was about preparing his mind for when his body got right.”

Smith, who must replace 1,484 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns off the 2019 roster, can point once again to Epstein to possibly be a leading rusher for the Illini after suffering injuries in each of the first three years.

“I think that (running backs) group could be as strong, if not stronger than what we’ve had in the past,” Smith said. “Mike Epstein is somebody who we all know what he’s able to do when he’s healthy. The key for him is somehow being able to stay healthy.”

Coaches all across the country in all levels of sports continue to stress how important mental reps are to a player’s development but for Epstein, a 22-year-old who has suffered a major injury in each of his last three seasons and in his junior season of high school, enough is enough.

"I took plenty of (mental reps). I know those are important (but) I’m done taking those,” Epstein said with a smile. “I’m ready to take some physical reps like we’ve been doing and I’m ready to get back on the field."

Mike Epstein rushed for 1,173 yards on 156 carries (7.5 yards per rush) and 16 touchdowns while being named the All-Broward County Football Player of the Year and a Class 7A All-State first team selection in his senior season at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla / USA Today Sports archive photo

The long way back from injured player to starter is not a foreign path for Epstein as he first experienced this process as a junior at nationally-recognized St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. While trying to find a starring role as a transfer in a high school program has produced Pro Football Hall of Fame recipient Michael Irvin, San Diego Chargers Pro Bowl pass rusher Joey Bosa, San Francisco 49ers first round pass rusher Nick Bosa, former first round cornerback Phillip Dorsett and New England Patriots tailback James White, Epstein suffered a significant knee injury that forced him to miss his junior season, a key year when it comes to college coaches being able to see prospects either during the season or the prior summer. This was the first significant medical roadblock to Epstein’s football career and it was that year where his high school coach felt showed what Epstein was made of mentally, emotionally and of course, physically.

“He could’ve decided to constantly think ‘why is this happening to me?’ but Mike’s approach to adversity in his life has always involved self-motivation and a positive attitude,” St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Roger Harriott said. “His successful recovery was because of his work ethic and maturity. That’s been inside him long before he arrived here.”

In past years inside the world of a locker room, injured athletes could be looked at as a contagious Typhoid Mary situation that didn’t want to be seen because it was considered a reminder of what could happen to healthy athletes. During that junior year, while at a completely new private school after transferring from Cypress Bay High School, Epstein decided to essentially spit at that outdated mentality and made the decision to actively accept the offer by Harriott and his staff to participate in every team meeting and be seen by his teammates whenever possible.

“And as a result of Epstein’s attitude during that year, he had a great senior year even before that season started,” Harriott said.

Illinois junior tailback Mike Epstein (26) going through positional drills during a Sept. 23 practice.  :: Mike Glasgow/University of Illinois athletics department

Following his physical rehabilitation, Epstein won the starting tailback job of a program that had won back-to-back state championships and was elected a team captain. During the 2016 season, Epstein led St. Thomas Aquinas to the 2016 Florida 7A state championship with a 45-6 win over Tampa Plant. St. Thomas Aquinas would go on to beat Bingham (Utah) 33-25 in the ESPN Geico State Champions Bowl. Epstein rushed for 1,173 yards on 156 carries (7.5 yards per rush) and 16 touchdowns while being named the All-Broward County Football Player of the Year and a Class 7A All-State first team selection by the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale.

“Coaching Mike was an amazing experience because we got to enjoy his authenticity and positive personality,” Harriot said. “Obviously, Mike is a great player and athlete. But he’s an even better person because he epitomizes the many character traits conducive to leading.”

Despite suffering his third injury since arriving at Illinois over scholarship offers from Michigan, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Syracuse and Indiana, Epstein showed those traits last season during the most successful Illini campaign in at least half of a decade.

When Illinois takes the field on the weekend of Oct. 23-24 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison to take on No. 16 Wisconsin, Epstein will have one more chance to prove what he’s capable of when healthy.

“There are times like that where it puts it into perspective how far I’ve come and how much work I’ve put in to get to this point," Epstein said. "It’s motivating. Tough days when I’m exhausted, I’ll see something like that and it makes me want to work harder. I realize I could be in a different position. I’m healthy now, so I’m grateful. I’m looking forward to the journey and I think we have a special team."