Eugene Ready to Shoulder the Load

He doesn't receive the media attention of Russell Wilson. He doesn't have the NFL scouts drooling over him like Willie Young. The truth is, none of that really matters to Senior running back Jamelle Eugene. The guy who many thought of as only "Tony Baker's back-up" has become so much more. The last two seasons, with Baker shelved with knee injuries, Eugene has forced his way onto the field and into the hearts of many Pack fans.

The 5'10 , 195 pound halfback has already earned the team's "Governor's Award" for Most Valuable Performer in 2007 and last year truly burst onto the scene by averaging a gaudy 4.7 yards per carry. This season you can hold the awards, and throw away the stats because Jamelle Eugene has only one thing on his mind. "Win....That's it" he said, when asked about his 2009 personal goals. This season Eugene has much more responsibility than just worrying about his play on the field. The Wolfpack Football team voted Jamelle as one of 3 team captains, something that really means a lot to the senior running back. "Man, it really means a lot. It's an honor that you hold high. It's something that the team votes on, and there's no outside sources. This is from the people that know you, people that play with you everyday. I'm truly honored to be in this position."

While his teammates certainly understand how important Jamelle was to their success last season, others haven't payed much attention. Not talked about much in the local papers, or mentioned much on SportsCenter, Eugene has flown somewhat under the radar for a guy that ate up almost 5 yards every time he carried the football in 2008.

"Hey, I understand it. That's just the way the media works. Sometimes you got a guy that's hardly doing anything and he's getting all the attention, or you do a lot of things and you're not recognized at all. That's just the way it is. I'm not stressing it, or feeling bad, it's just something that seemed to happen and you know, maybe at the end of the season I'll get the recognition I deserve."

However, don't misunderstand his motivation, or his drive. When asked if the lack of attention fuels him he responded like a true team captain. "Winning games fuels me. Being out here with my teammates and taking care of my responsibilities fuels me. I really don't worry about things I can't control. As long as I come out here and make plays and help my team win games, that's all the fuel I need."

Eugene has been a extremely pleasant surprise for the Wolfpack, and this year he told us to watch out for another surprise, "Our team as a whole is going to surprise a lot of people. They'll see come September 3rd, they'll see."