Northwestern running back Venric Mark has been granted a fifth season of eligibility, the school announced Tuesday, giving him a chance to reverse the Wildcats' dismal 2013 campaign.
Mark (5-foot-8, 175 pounds) was limited to three games because of injuries, with a broken ankle suffered last October ultimately sidelining him for the rest of the season. Losing the consistency of Mark contributed to offensive collapse during NU's seven-game losing streak, averaging just 15.2 points in the five games after the injury.
As a junior, Mark rushed for 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns and has also been an effective return specialist during his college career.
Because of his small stature, Mark will certainly draw comparisons to Darren Sproles ahead of the 2015 NFL Draft and could have a similar role as a passing-down specialist.
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.