It goes without saying, but my word, how good has Toussaint been these past few weeks? Remember during week one or two when Brian posted that video of Toussaint debuting the jump cut move? These past few weeks have been an absolute clinic.
It may be because I've had a few beverages, but god damn, Fitz has been illustrating some incredible vision and lateral mobility these past few weeks. His ability to cut on a dime is unbelievable.
I think you misspelled
You're right -- I did!
You're right -- I did! Thanks :)
Fitz has been TREMENDOUS
...and by that, I mean helter-skelter, willy-nilly and putt-putt!
Best since Hart
Easily the best running back we've had since Hart. His lateral jukes and cuts are amazing, not to mention his ability to completely stop to avoid a guy and then accelerate to full speed again. I'm looking forward to watching him the next couple years.
Big gulps huh? Alright! Well, see ya later.
Woah, hold on there. The
Woah, hold on there. The entire problem with Fitz is that he has a history of being injury prone. If we're not going to take that into consideration, even though i think he has incredible talent, Brandon Minor has him beat as the best RB since Hart. That dude was an absolute monster. If it weren't for his injuries he would have been one of if not the best running back in college.
You should read your post
You should read your post aloud, and see if your logic makes any sense.
"If we don't take that into
"If we don't take that into consideration"
So what you're really saying
So what you're really saying is that if Minor wouldn't have had injuries, he would have been a beast, similar to how if Fitz wasn't injury prone, he would be a beast...you're criticizing Fitz for being injury-prone while using that as an explanation for why Brandon Minor was better. Logical breakdown...
I don't have a problem if you think Minor is better, but please use arguments that make sense. I'd take Fitz definitely, no offense to Brandon who stuck with this team through the worst seasons in modern memory, but I think Fitz has showed a different level in the last few games that Minor didn't really hit.
What he's saying:
Minor was better (EDITED with my own note: to this point of course). You can't knock Minor for being injury prone since Toussaint has been too.
Thanks for saying that much
Thanks for saying that much better than I tried to haha, I just kept confusing everyone
How was Minor better? Let's
How was Minor better? Let's take a look at the statistics:
Minor's 2008 season: 103 carries, 533 yards (5.2 avg.), 9 TD, two 100-yard games
Minor's 2009 season: 96 carries, 502 yards (5.2 avg.), 8 TD, two 100-yard games
Toussaint's 2011 season (including WMU): 154 carries, 891 yards (5.8 avg.), 9 TD, four 100-yard games
Toussaint doesn't just have more yards; he's averaging significantly more per carry. He has as many 100-yard games as Minor did in '08 and '09 combined, and has surpassed Minor's career high (155) twice. And I don't agree that they are equally injury-prone. Toussaint has racked up 50% more carries this year than Minor did in either of his two years as our nominal starter. Toussaint may have had a bunch of injuries last year, but this year he's held up like a regular starting tailback.
I have been stunned the last few weeks
I didn't know who I was watching on Saturday because that dude was going off on a decent defense in a different way than he was previously by using a more pronounced jump cut. I only hope he continues to use this sparingly though since he has very good burst and is dangerous going north/south. Too much cutting starts leaving yards on the field.
he has been exactly 7 GOODs
he has been exactly 7 GOODs
RIP my avatar, June 14, 1998 - October 26, 2012.
Good enough that two more 100
Good enough that two more 100 yard games and he has a thousand yards.
How about one 200 yard game?
With Denard adding another, say, 53?
According to MGoBlue
According to MGoBlue, he only needs 109 yards. He could do it next week.
Avatar is a reference to this. Go Blue!
WMU game
is the difference. Remember, the school still acknowledges the stats. Hawever, the NCAA does not.
"Þetta Er Ágætis Byrjun" Turtles!!! Formerly Dlash15
Who cares what the NCAA
Who cares what the NCAA acknowledges? The game was played, we won, and he accumulated yards.
I completely agree.
I was just pointing out why we have two different number totals.
"Þetta Er Ágætis Byrjun" Turtles!!! Formerly Dlash15
Especially with totals
They have to exclude the stats due to averages being messed up, but in terms of totals there is no reason not to include it.
Pretty G-Dang good
Pretty G-Dang good
Coach Jackson described him
Coach Jackson described him as "Michael Hart with speed." He's definately getting closer...
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/fred-jackson-toussaint-michael-hart-speed
Edit: I'm curious what Zone Left thinks of having to spell Toussaint now
So good...
So good that Coach Jackson ran out of ways to describe his goodness.
So good...
So good that Coach Jackson ran out of ways to describe his goodness.
edit: I blame the captcha
I just thought he was so good
you needed to post twice. (and I am OK with that)
Go Blue...
So good...
So good that Coach Jackson ran out of ways to describe his goodness.
www.eatacheeseburger.blogspot.com Brian Cook has read this blog!
So damn good. Credit to
So damn good. Credit to Brian, Ace, and others, too, who spotted that talent in him long before I did.
Hoke? Borges?
Hoke? Borges?
Rodriguez?
Isn't Fitz his recruit? Awkward...
Yep, that's Simba made out of a pineapple.
Yup
RR and staff identified him as one of the better RB in the country and recruited him as such. We didn't get to see him living up to the promise until this year.
I meant to start him over the
I meant to start him over the other players, but yes Rodriquez recruited him.
How GOOD?
Listen, I'd accept passable at running back given the past 3 years...Toussaint has been solid in the past 3 weeks. We need his breakout 250 yard Biakabatuka game this weekend.
If the haters don't hate you then you're doing something wrong. - David Cone
250
You mis-typed "313."
How good?
Tremendously good fergodsakes!
Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.
It is funny...
I have been using him on NCAA 2011 every since I bought it because he was the fastest back availiable. When he was injured last year, I thought that he may not ever get much playing time. I wanted Cox to be the surrprise of the year...but Fitz is a very welcome one at that. The moves that he showed in his HS film had me geeked but at this level he needs to stop dancing all the time...the last TD run was the way he needs to run all the time. Just lean a little more too and keep the knees pumping. JMO
Hard work beats talent...when talent fails to work hard! Go Blue!!
he's been incredible. him
he's been incredible. him and dunn should be an excellent combination for the next two seasons.
pretty pretty prettttyyyyyy
pretty pretty prettttyyyyyy good
Michigan Arrogance ... Something to be proud of.
Best Fitz comparison
I keep seeing Fitz being described as "Mike Hart with X" or "Chris Perry with Y," but I think you have to dig a bit deeper into UM history to find a back dynamic enough to compare with Fitz.
Admittedly, I was a little young when he was in his prime, but I still remember (and highlight reels confirm) Tim Biakabutuka as having the same kind of lateral quickness and agility as Fitz. I don't think we've had a back since Biakabutuka who could do the kind of things that Fitz is doing now.
I can only hope that the similarities continue into games against Ohio.
Well, I am old enough to
Well, I am old enough to remember and I agree, Fitz definitely remind me of Timmy. This Saturday he has an opportunity to follow his footsteps by dominating Ohio. Go Blue!
go blue
posted from iPhone
Tim B is a great comparison, but Tim had just a little more bulldozer to him and could run through tacklers. But Fitz is really coming into his own this year. Future=Bright
True
but Fitz is faster. We will see him breaking away when he gets to the second level many times in the next few years. I hope he plays like Touchdown Tim did against Ohio in his career. Tshimanga had over 4500 yards and six Heisman trophies against Ohio in his career.
Maybe
Maybe he had a little more power, but it's not like Fitz has been going down on arm tackles in the second half of this season.
And he's gotten very good at kicking his legs to run straight though ankle tackles as well.
Timmy B is a GREAT comparison
The first run looks like a slightly taller Fitz.
Personally I think he's a blend of Timmy and Perry.
“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”
I just don't see Perry
I still just don't see many similarities to Perry. Maybe in the way they burst through the hole, but Perry ran hard downhill, and his only real evasive move was a hard-step cut.
Fitz seems to take his time picking a hole (though maybe this is just a result of poor blocking) and is a lot more elusive once he gets through. Specifically, I don't think Perry could ever stop/start the way Fitz has been doing.
Fitz Comparisons
I don't really understand the Mike Hart comparisions--totally different running styles in my opinion. Fitz reminds me a lot of Chris Perry, which is fine by me. In the twenty-four years that I have been watching Michigan football, Perry was probably my favorite tailback to watch. Hopefully Fitz can stay healthy over the next couple years and steadily develop into one of the better backs in the country.
posted from iPhone
Only when it comes to makin people miss, especially before the LOS. He's shown shiftiness we haven't seen since Hart. Minor was just a force, so we haven't seen this in some time. Perry works for me too.
Touchdown Michigan!
Quoting From The Liveblog
Blue In South Bend basically summed it up (right after a TD run): "Fitz. Motherfucking. Toussaint."
That's how good he's been.
"Funny isn't it, how naughty dentists always make that one fatal mistake."
Follow the random tweets of a Michigan alum - http://twitter.com/#!/LorneEC3
Quite possibly the best French-Irish rb ever to don the maize-and-blue (unless Perry's first name was really 'Christophe')
posted from iPhone
I absolutely love Toussaint. My wife laughs at my bromance moments when he breaks off yet another great run. You know who he reminds me of? Arian Foster. Watching Foster and Toussaint every week you can really see the similarities in their lateral quickness, cutback ability, vision, and that quick burst of speed to get through the creases.
He reminds me of (in all
He reminds me of (in all seriousness) Lesean McCoy, in the way he runs.
HOKEAMANIA RUNNIN' WILD
Formerly, TheLastProphet
I totally agree
I totally agree. I actually almost made a post after the Purdue game saying this. His running style also reminds me of Marshall Faulk.
I think you misspelled TREMENDOUS.