"I''ve had backs carry the football 40 times. I didn''t know it weighed so much that they couldn''t. If a back is durable, he can pound it. Robert Holcombe is that kind of back."

 UI assistant coach Jim Helms

Helms, new running backs boss, knows where his bread is buttered.

His master plan in advancing the football is to get it in the strong hands of Holcombe as many ways as possible.

That idea might have seemed unacceptable to Illinoisans who grumbled in 1995 when Holcombe carried 49 times in a 7-0 shutout of East Carolina. But after a 2-9 season in 1996, any kind of success would be welcomed.

"I've been lucky," said Helms. "I've had some quality running backs, and I believe in using the best guy I've got. I had Eric Dickerson and Craig James at SMU. At Texas A&M, Roger Vick carried 44 times in a game, and Darren Lewis was a 5,000-yard rusher. At Mississippi State, Michael Davis and Keefer McGee carried 40 times in a game.

"When you've had a great back, you know what you're looking for. And Holcombe is as good a back, in terms of his all-around ability, as I've coached."

That's a big statement from a coach who earned two championship rings as a Texas assistant (1968-69), added two more with Barry Switzer at Oklahoma, became a permanent running backs coach with Jimmy Johnson at Oklahoma State in 1979, spent nine years at Texas A&M and became assistant head coach at Mississippi State in 1991.

Havard, Smith duel behind Holcombe

So, Holcombe is the warhorse. That's established. The issue today is what surrounds him ... and, heaven forbid, who carries on if the UI's soon-to-be all-time rusher is unavailable.

Based on mid-week sessions, Wheaton's Steve Havard is challenging 5-foot-8 fireplug Will Smith for the No. 2 slot. Smith scored 41 touchdowns at California's Montclair Prep in 1993 and has caught Helms' eye, but the 200-pound Havard ran particularly hard in Wednesday's mini-scrimmage.

The assumption here is that Havard, a sophomore, will someday step into Holcombe's shoes, although Smith, redshirt freshmen Dharma Frye and Nehemiah Minor, and recruit Jameel Cook of Miami, Fla., could challenge.

At fullback, former tight end Joe Gatton (6-4, 255) received more playing time Wednesday than Alton's swifter, stockier Elmer Hickman. Both Gatton and Frye were converted to fullback following the departure of last fall's seniors, Rodney Byrd and Ty Douthard.

"We're still experimenting at fullback," said Helms. "Elmer is on medication because his heart tends to race (beat faster) at times, but he is cleared for full action. He needs more work.

"Joe's job isn't much different than it was at tight end. Fullback and tight end are in some ways interchangeable."

Gatton pleased with move

Gatton, who played special teams last fall, is happy with the move.

"My job is to block for Holcombe," said the "B" student in business.

A former student body president, state champion swimmer and four-year member of the Vandalia-Butler (Ohio) varsity basketball team, Gatton possesses the ruggedness Helms was seeking ... except he's too tall.

"I have to get lower on my blocks," said Gatton. "I'm working on trying to get down under the linebackers' pads, but it's a slight disadvantage when you're 6-4. I like the blocking better from fullback because you get a running start. And if you get any kind of block, Holcombe will get loose."

Don't ask about carrying the ball. Going into Saturday's spring finale, Gatton has taken one scrimmage handoff.

"That's the trend with pro-style offenses," he said. "They just want the fullback to block and catch a few passes. I like that part, too, because it's easier getting open out of the backfield."

Gatton is typical. Wisconsin uses 233-pound former tight end Cecil Martin to block for 2,000-yard rusher Ron Dayne. Martin rushed 12 times last season. Penn State's spring starter, Jason Sload, carried five times last season.

"At fullback, we're looking for a blocker first, a receiver second and a ball carrier third," said Helms. "Gatton gives us two of three, and we can work with that."

Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette.