1 day Ago
CHAMPAIGN — Josh McCray remembers his first contact with Illinois football like it was yesterday. It’s actually coming up on four years ago. His high school coach in Enterprise, Ala.
, knew Illinois’ new boss Bret Bielema. That’s how the connection started. McCray’s high school coach told the running back a call was coming from Illinois.
“This is like 6 in the morning so I’m waking up out of my sleep taking this phone call. It’s Coach B.,” McCray said Tuesday at the Smith Center.
“He’s like, ‘I want to offer you (a scholarship) to the University of Illinois.’ I googled ‘Illinois.’ I’m like, ‘How far is that?’” He quickly found it is an 11-hour drive from Enterprise to Champaign-Urbana.
“My family, they don’t really like to fly. They love to drive,” he said. McCray made a commitment to Illinois on Jan.
5, 2021. Good thing for Illinois McCray said “yes.” Especially after the junior’s three-touchdown performance on Saturday in a 38-16 home win against Michigan State.
McCray made sure the seniors won their last home game. McCray was part of the 2021 signing class, but has another year of eligibility. “It just felt good,” McCray said.
“Coming in with those guys and them teaching us the way. They really did a great job.” He became the first Illinois player to run for three touchdowns in a game since Jason Ford in 2010 against Northwestern at Wrigley Field.
Funny, that performance gets overshadowed a bit by Mikel Leshoure’s 330 rushing yards in the same game. Three-TD games are getting to be old hat for No. 6.
He dented the end zone three times in a 50-49 overtime win against Purdue on Oct. 12. Two were on runs and the third was the first touchdown catch of his career.
“The way he’s performing right now, it’s been unbelievable,” Illinois running backs coach Thad Ward said. Healthy again after two seasons wrecked by injury, McCray leads the Illini (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) with 391 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns before playing at Rutgers (6-4, 3-4) at 11 a.m.
on Saturday. Bielema often mentions McCray’s ability to overcome adversity. “I’ve been through a lot,” McCray said.
“I just try to come in and keep going. “It’s hard for people to come back from those type of injuries. I just stayed in my head, stayed with my boys, Coach Ward and my family, Coach (Bielema) and (trainer) Jeremy Busch.
They all just kept me in tune with myself and kept pushing me to come back great.” As a freshman, McCray gained 549 yards and seemed destined for stardom. Perhaps, another in the long line of 1,000-yard running backs coached by Bielema.
But in his next two seasons, injuries limited McCray to a combined nine games and 212 yards. Bielema never lost faith. “That really does mean a lot,” McCray said.
With starter Kaden Feagin out for the season because of injury, veteran McCray has been invaluable. When Feagin got hurt, McCray knew his workload would increase. But he’s not alone.
“We sub a lot,” McCray said. “Coach Ward does a great job keeping us fresh. You can do a lot with fresh legs.
” He is splitting carries with Aidan Laughery and Ca’Lil Valentine, but is adding to his volume each week. When the Illinois offense moves close to goal line, it’s a good bet McCray gets the ball. “He had some great finishes the other day in the red zone,” Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.
said. “Really good runs.” McCray has learned he can help the offense with more than just runs.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pounder is a willing blocker, creating running lanes for his teammates or protecting quarterback Luke Altmyer. “I love blocking,” McCray said. “Pin somebody on their back, you really do have fun with that.
” McCray and the Illini will close out the season with three games away from C-U — Big Ten matchups at Rutgers and in Chicago against Northwestern — and the as-yet-to-be-determined bowl destination. “We’ve just got to go out there and execute,” McCray said. McCray is in his second season playing for Illinois running backs coach Ward.
They’ve built a strong relationship. “That’s my guy,” McCray said of Ward. “If I’m struggling with picking up a blitz or want to go over it some more, I’ll call Coach Ward at 11 p.
m., and he’s going to answer the phone. Coach Ward is a great dad figure.
” Ward thinks of himself as more of an uncle to McCray and the rest of the running backs. “I want to have an open door where they can come sit in my office and talk about anything,” Ward said. Ward tries to be real with McCray and the rest of the backs.
“I’m honest, and that’s not good all the time for them,” Ward said. “At the end of the day, they respect honesty more than they respect somebody lying to them and telling them what they want to hear.” The best players Ward has worked with wanted to be coached hard.
Sounds like McCray is one of those guys. “I was up here with Josh (Monday) night watching film at 8 o’clock,” Ward said. “His day off was (Monday).
When you have players that want to be great, it’s easy to coach them hard.” Off the field, McCray long ago adjusted to the Illinois winters. It wasn’t easy.
“My freshman year, I walked outside one day and it’s snowing,” McCray said. “I’m dressed in shorts and a shirt. I had to run back up, throw on a jacket and some shoes.
” It was the first time he had ever seen the cold, white stuff. Ward said McCray has now been “Midwesternized.” Ward started working with McCray in 2023.
What was his impression of McCray the person? “I saw a happy young man who wanted to be coached,” Ward said. “He was eager to learn.”.
