l in the Big Ten Conference was finally a reality.

"I always wanted to play in the Big Ten," Holcombe said. "Illinois has great coaches and I have always got along well with them."

A first-team all-state running back at Mesa, Holcombe ran for 1,613 yards (12.2 yard average) and 19 touchdowns his senior year. As a junior he was all-region, helping lead the Jackrabbits to the Class 5-A Arizona state championship. During his two years with the program, Holcombe found the end zone 32 times.

He was rated as Arizona's top prospect following his senior year. A proven winner with great vision along with speed, Holcombe was foreseen as the player that would lead an Arizona school to the Rose Bowl - if one could sign him.

"We tried like heck to get him of high school. We did everything," UA head coach Dick Tomey said. "Robert Holcombe is a talented runner. I think that he is a good player."

Holcombe would have none of that. He was hooked on the Big Ten and when Illinois offered him a scholarship, it was an easy decision.

It wasn't that he disliked the Arizona schools, but his childhood goal of being a player in the Big Ten was what he had always worked toward.

Although he was at Mesa for only two years, he has not lost contact with his family and friends.

"I met a lot people in Arizona that have continued to be there for me. They have always been supportive," Holcombe said.

Holcombe, originally from Houston, moved in with his aunt in Mesa when his grandmother's house had grown too crowded. Following his sophomore year he made the change and never looked back. He made an immediate impact at Mesa, a trend that would follow him to Illinois.

In his first season in Champaign, he was named the male newcomer of the year. Holcombe rushed for 520 yards as a true freshman and was leading the Fighting Illini in rushing before he injured his hand against Northwestern in the team's eighth game. He fra ctured the hand the following week against Minnesota and was done for the year.

Last season Holcombe rushed for 1,051 yards to become only the sixth player in Illinois history to rush over the mark. He was the first sophomore to do so since J.C. Caroline eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in 1953.

"Overall I have come a long ways from where I used to be," Holcombe said. "Everyone improves."

Improvement on those stats won't be easy this season. Defensive schemes are now based around Holcombe and the Fighting Illini schedule is one of the toughest in the Big Ten.

Already having lost its first two games against Michigan and Southern Cal, the team will look to Holcombe even more to get something started on offense, which hasn't scored a touchdown in three consecutive games, dating back to Holcombe's 29-yard run in t he fourth quarter against Minnesota Nov. 18 of last year - a stretch of 40 offensive series without finding the end zone. It has discouraged the team at times.

"Everyone was down after the first game, but we haven't lost any morale," Holcombe said. "We are a little behind where I expected us to be, but we will do better."

Holcombe knows it won't be easy to end the streak, especially against Arizona's defense, but he remains confident that he can make some things happen tomorrow.

"I try to play a perfect game, to go hard on every snap, to make a difference," he said.

With the Big Ten season starting for Illinois in two weeks, Holcombe knows now is the time for the offense to turn things around. Against Arizona's defense, he knows it won't be easy to accomplish.

"They have a great defense, great athletes," Holcombe said. "They play well as a unit, with all their speed."

So far this season Holcombe has been held to 103 yards on 29 attempts in two games, far less than his expectations.

"We need to establish a running game now," Holcombe said, "and that will rely on me doing a better job."

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