For the second time in two weeks, the injury bug bit Illinois hard.

And for the second straight season, Illini running back Dre Brown was the victim.

Another torn anterior cruciate ligament for Brown ended his 2016 campaign before it even started. The reserve tailback announced the news on Twitter late on Tuesday night:

It marked the second Illinois skill player to tear his ACL in back-to-back seasons. Former Freshman All-American Mikey Dudek tore his same ACL earlier in the month and has already been ruled out for 2016.

Brown was expected to carve out a role in the Illini backfield after the departure of the versatile Josh Ferguson. He had been working with the second team in camp.

Without Brown, Illinois still has talented second-year player Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who led the team in rushing last year. But Illinois only has two other scholarship backs on the roster, neither of whom have much game experience. Redshirt freshman Reggie Corbin will get a crack at more snaps, as will redshirt junior Kendrick Foster.

Illinois could also turn to true freshman Tre Nation, who will arrive on campus this summer.