Derrick Green should be the starter next week against Notre Dame.
There is a serious case to be made here. While I agree that Green could use a little more time with Wellman to get things toned before he's an All American, he is still the best RB on the team. He led the team in rushing yesterday, and also looked the best doing it.
The Notre Dame defense is relatively small, and I believe we definitely could benefit greatly from having such a big option pounding the rock at all times. We definitely don't want to rely on the arm of Gardner this week(interceptions killed us last year against ND), and can easily win this game with an effective ground game.
September 1st, 2013 at 2:32 PM ^
Central's players had been pounded on by our starters for 2 1/2 quarters. Green came in fresh - if he didn't look good something was wrong. In spite of that, while I won't say he looked gassed, you could see he was breathing hard. I did like watching him, though.
Even though Green's ankle issue was minor, I don't know that we need to press it. I would be shattered if we turned that into a lingering problem with no reason. He has to carry that frame everywhere he goes on that same ankle.
Here is the really cool thing - we can use half a dozen running backs, there isn't an NCAA rule against that like there is against stretching.
September 1st, 2013 at 2:37 PM ^
He's playing in his first college game, busting his ass, playing at home. He was likely just really excited. His heart was probably pumping a million beats a minute. As has been said by many a great QB, the key to playing under pressure (while this was a blow out, first game for hyped back has a ton of pressure) is learning how to breathe. Green is still learning how to calm down and breathe at this point.
September 1st, 2013 at 2:51 PM ^
I think your statement bolsters my case, in fact. Fitz starts, with a talented supporting cast. Fitz knows how to block, he knows how to breathe, and he has been there and done that.
Remember too that with his ankle tweaked, Green (most likely) couldn't participate in all the conditioning drills. He might very well not be where he would have been without the injury, excitement or not.
My thoughts are often tempered by reading other comments. I have decided that we need to ask the line not to open big holes. It skews the results and makes silly discussions difficult. (I'm just tossing that in, it is not directed toward your comment, Space Coyote).
September 1st, 2013 at 2:36 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 2:39 PM ^
For the love of God - what a stupid statement. Green will get there, as will Smith. Green's long run was the result of a frigg'n hole anyone of us would have gotten through. He did what he was supposed to do on that but let's not ascribe too much. On the the plays where there wasn't much there he didn't really create anything. Smith for the most part also ran into a pretty cluttered field. I didn't see Green's speed when he was on kickoff (no way he is a 4.3) and he really couldn't get to the edge on the outside runs. He looked good in his first game against a certain type of opponent late in the game. Give him props and hope he consistently progresses. Not better than Fitz.
September 1st, 2013 at 2:42 PM ^
Were some of you watching the same game I did? I'm not ready to say Green should be the starter (and I doubt he will be as he is overweight) but Fitz did not run with confidence. Green was not afraid of contact and was running forward most of the time. I'm hoping Fitz improves from week 1 to week 2, but some of you saying Green did not have a good game, what were you watching?
September 1st, 2013 at 3:23 PM ^
I remember Fitz trucking a dude to score his first TD. He is fine. Not sure what game you watched.
September 1st, 2013 at 2:44 PM ^
The OP is an idiot.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 3:17 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 2:45 PM ^
Here's the best part...ALL the running backs will get better and better through out the season! Fitz will get more and more confident, Green and Smith with learn the offense and get in better playing shape, etc., etc.!
Add that to an O-line that also gets more experience and we will look back on this thread as an example of our embarassment of riches at RB.
September 1st, 2013 at 2:48 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 3:07 PM ^
The OP lost this argument the instant he said ND's defense is small up-front. They're actually pretty huge, and led by two big All-American candidates (Nix and Tuitt) who largely stuffed us last year.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:18 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 3:22 PM ^
I hope you realize Green was playing against CMU's 2nd and 3rd string defense... Even my 93 year old grandma could run through those holes in the d.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:22 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 3:38 PM ^
Yep. Our RBs will ahve about 45 yards rushing in the first half. Book it.
September 1st, 2013 at 7:29 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 3:32 PM ^
This is why fans don't get paid to make these decisions. My 10 year old could have ran through some of those holes Green had to take advantage of. Fitz was easily the best back out there yesterday. Close between Smith and Green though imho.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:43 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 3:26 PM ^
Fitzgerald Toussaint should start, and it's not even close. Toussaint is more explosive, in better shape, knows the offense better, and is more of a threat in the passing game than Green.
I like Green's future, but you're jumping the gun.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:37 PM ^
Start, sure. But Green should probably see more carries vs ND because he can move the pile that extra yard or two far better than Fitz. On Green's TD run, Fitz doesn't get it. Green's size and second push got that six. I'd like to see a 60/40 Fitz/Green split.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^
On Green's TD run, Fitz probably would have dodged back to the right and dove into the endzone fairly cleanly. I agree Toussaint wouldn't have taken the hit so well, but he would have been harder to hit in the first place.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:29 PM ^
Can someone please explain to me how the ND defense is small? They go 290, 322, and 357 on the d-line, 230, 258, 250, and 245 at LB, safeties are both over 200, and CBs are all over 5'11" 190. I'm pretty sure if you matched up their defense to ours they would be heavier and taller at every single position. They may have the biggest defenses we play all year.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:30 PM ^
Green has great size and good speed. But he showed NO moves or balance, and went down SUPER easy on first contact (for a guy his massive size). There is absolutely no way he looked better than Fitz.
Green has the physical tools to be a great RB, but he is going to have to learn better footwork and balance if he wants to be an elite back in college. It can happen--see Chris Perry in 2003. But after seeing them for 1 game, Fitz is the better back.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:33 PM ^
Yeah, but he had a 30-yard run where nobody touched as he ran straight down the field. Therefore, he's better. Duh.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:35 PM ^
You should retitle this that Green should just see more carries. "Starter" just really means one play - the first of the game. I think we will see more Green next week. A platoon job with Fitz.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:52 PM ^
And went and got my computer specifically so I could downvote this thread. This is seriously the stupidest opinion I can recall reading on this board. There is no way in all the world that you reached this conclusion by actually watching people play football yesterday. You're clearly just enamored with recruiting rankings and the stat sheet at the end of the day.
There were two running backs yesterday that showed the ability to either make people miss or run through contact, and they were Fitz Toussaint and (shockingly enough) Thomas Rawls. Derrick Green showed off a ton of potential, but very little actual skill. To call for a major depth chart overhaul (Green seems to be 4th or 5th, based on how the coaches were playing guys) based on 11 garbage time carries against a MAC team is asinine.
I hope for your sake you're drunk or high or have some other excuse for this shameful thread.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:53 PM ^
So you're calling a guy out for jumping to conclusions while simultaneously touting Thomas Rawls for his 12 yards on 3 carries?
September 1st, 2013 at 4:03 PM ^
Note how at no point did I insinuate that Rawls should start, or even get any more carries than he got yesterday. But he ran through an arm tackle, which is more than anyone other than Fitz did.
And Norfleet, but I'm assuming he doesn't count.
Also I don't know why I'm arguing with you, you're almost as bad as Wolverines Dominate.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:15 PM ^
I personally think Green showed a lot more than Thomas Rawls. I'm just going to leave it at that since you seem like a very rude and angry person.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:40 PM ^
I apologize for flying off the handle there, I try to avoid personal attacks for the most part, and while I still think your comment above was reaching it didn't deserve a comparison to Wolverines Dominate, who I'm still fairly certain is just a troll.
I agree with you to some extent, I think Green showed pretty conclusively that he's going to be a better back than Rawls, but I think based an a super limited sample size Rawls is playing better right now. Green has a burst that is really impressive for his size, he just needs to learn how to use that power to break tackles.
I think Rawls had a very similar thing going on last year. He had size and power, but went down way earlier than he should have because he didn't know how to use them. What I saw from him yesterday suggested to me that maybe the light went on for him. What I saw from Green suggests that he still needs to learn those same skills, but when he does he'll be an outstanding player.
Anyway, I'm gonna head out for a bit and maybe come back to the board in a few days. I think that would be best, both for everyone here and for my own sanity. Gotta keep myself from taking these things too seriously.
September 1st, 2013 at 8:55 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 4:11 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 4:19 PM ^
Exactly. It's amazing how people here think they have to rip someone apart and personally attack him or her for a differing opinion, even if that opinion doesn't make a whole lot of sense. There are many posters who take pride in asserting superiority over others and don't understand that it is possible to challenge someone's opinion without being an asshole.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:31 PM ^
I participated in a couple of conversations about this in other threads on the board yesterday, but for some reason seeing it get its own thread after all that just made me feel like some combination of this guy:
And this guy:
I think I'm going to take a few days off from reading and commenting on the board, at least until the UFRs go up. I think the lack of game film (other than MGoBlue.com's ridiculously zoomed-in highlights) has made me just get angry in places where I would have previously pointed to video evidence. Damn T3 Media.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:20 PM ^
This may well be one of the most unintentional neg-bangings I've seen around these parts. It is an opinion and everyone is entitled to his or her, but this probably should have been placed inside another thread where it wouldn't have been given such a spotlight.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:41 PM ^
how unintentional it is. The OP, in general, loves attention. He may have been serious, but I wouldn't put it past him to post something like this just to start a flamefest even if he didn't 100% believe it himself. Especially with the points system not functioning.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:52 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 5:17 PM ^
I only type /ˌsuːpərˌkælɨˌfrædʒɨˌlɪstɪkˌɛkspiːˌælɨˈdoʊʃəs/ once, and then I expect the browser to remember it for me.
September 1st, 2013 at 8:18 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 5:35 PM ^
The only thing I want to contribute to this contentious thread is this: I am just damn happy we have options. And happier to let the coaches figure it out.
September 1st, 2013 at 5:39 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 6:04 PM ^
September 1st, 2013 at 6:19 PM ^
This is the danger of too much player hype prior to setting foot on campus. One good game: Heisman!
September 1st, 2013 at 6:22 PM ^
for a number of years, I continue to come to the same conclusion. Jackson takes a raw running back who just blows forward at an opening, and teaches them to find a cutback/hole. I'm not convinced this is the best scenario honestly and I'm sure there are many arguments against me...but it seems to me like these kids come in and run full head of steam, break some big runs, and as they mature, they start dancing for holes.
Begs the question, are we really making NFL ready backs or is the coaching plan actually hindering them. YES I REALIZE we are not an NFL factory, but it seems to me like improving four star/five star talent would prepare them for the next level. I can count on one hand the number of backs who have made an NFL impact in the last ten years...
September 1st, 2013 at 10:14 PM ^