This was a day to talk the talk, Media day at Illinois State. The Birds kick
off their season August 30th at Marshall. One of their newcomers has a familiar
last name.

In 2 seasons with the Fighting Illini Walter Mendenhall only carried the football 6 times.

ISU Running Back Walter Mendenhall said, "I just felt like I wasn't in their plans. I wasn't recruited by them so basically they didn't have a loyalty to me. I felt like I had to go somewhere else."

That someplace else was 45 minutes down I–74 in Normal at ISU.

ISU Head Coach Denver Johnson said, "I don't know much about the situation at Illinois. What happens in Champaign stays in Champaign as far as I'm concerned. I'm happy to have him on this football team. I'm happy to give him the opportunity to help our football team."

While at Illinois Mendenhall stood on the sidelines as his younger brother Rashard led the Illini to the Rose Bowl.
For the Redbird fans that last name brings visions of long touchdown runs.

Johnson said, "They'll be some fan and maybe some media who make notation of the fact that his brother is Rashard. But Walter is his own man and he'll be his own football player."

Rashard's left Illinois too. Taken in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Having a brother playing in the NFL is an advantage for Walter, it gives him someone to talk to who understands exactly what he's going through.

Mendenhall said, "We're each other's best friend and we always talk. We always bounce our problems off each other. We are there to comfort and encourage each other."