Motivation Makes Green Go
Ahman Green rushed for 3,880 yards and 42 touchdowns in three years at Nebraska. Or was that Ahman “System” Green? Or Ahman “It was my linemen” Green?
Green, a third-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks, has the knocks memorized. The critics say Nebraska’s system is the reason it produces high-yardage running backs who don’t pan out in the NFL (see Lawrence Phillips, Calvin Jones, I.M. Hipp).
Critics credit the Cornhuskers’ assembly-line production of behemoth linemen, who open running lanes the size of freeways.
Green’s response to the naysayers: Thanks for the help. The gobs of motivation, combined with his alarming speed and a 213-pound frame make Green an intriguing prospect.
“Basically, I want to go out and show we’re not a product of the system,” Green said. “It’s not just the line and the system that makes us good. It’s something I’ve got to prove.”
Maybe to himself, but not his coaches. Running backs coach Tim Lappano flew to Lincoln last winter to check out Green. Green’s 40-yard time: 4.28 seconds. But there was more to Green than just his blinding speed.
“I think part of the reason (he dropped to third round) is that rap on Nebraska backs, which is ridiculous. He’s his own person,” Lappano said. “The other thing is there was a lot of question whether he was just a straight-line runner. He can break you down and make you miss.
“The pleasant surprise is that he can catch the football. We threw him 28 passes and he dropped one. In minicamps, he caught everything and he’s caught everything here.”
Including head coach Dennis Erickson’s attention.
“He’s been very impressive, his speed and explosiveness,” the coach said. Green’s speed actually improved - with the help of a strength coach and a trainer - after he declared for the NFL draft following his junior season.
“With my natural running ability I was running 4.2s and 4.3s,” Green said, “but when I jumped in with those guys, I dropped down to the 4.1s.”
That seems fast enough to shed a bad rap.
Goodwill gesture
Defensive end Matt LaBounty was in a rush to hit the showers after Tuesday’s afternoon practice. He had to catch some must-see TV.
His wife, Kelly Blair-LaBounty, was competing in the first day of the heptathlon at the Goodwill Games in New York. She is in fourth place.
“Half my mind’s here and half of it is with her,” LaBounty said. “It’s tough because I really like watching her run. We have a harder time in the off-season because my off-season is in the middle of her busy time.”
The two, who met as classmates at the University of Oregon and married after seven years of dating, are able to train together. “But I might be doing some change-of-direction drill and she’ll be long jumping,” LaBounty said.
Blair-LaBounty competed in the 1996 Olympics and placed eighth in the ‘97 World Championships.
“Hands down, Kelly’s the better athlete,” LaBounty said. “When she finished eighth in the world, I said, you know what, eighth in the world is better than anything I’m ever going to do.”
Phillin’ out
Defensive end Phillip Daniels, who emerged as a starter last year, emerged as rather huge early in training camp - as in 280 sculpted pounds, compared to the 260 he carried a year ago.
He added the bulk the old-fashioned way.
“I spent the off-season powerlifting,” he said. “I was in a few competitions and I won some trophies. It tough, but it gets you where you need to be.”
Daniels’ development mirrors the early years of Seahawks Pro-Bowl end Michael Sinclair.
“Phillip was probably bigger than Michael when he came out of college, from what I understand, but there are a lot of similarities between the two,” defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said. “(Line coach Tommy) Brasher has done a great job with him.”
Notes
Defensive tackle Dan Saleaumua, who missed Monday’s practices with a sprained knee, practiced Tuesday… . The afternoon session ended with players running a succession of 40-yard sprints in the 97-degree heat. “That’s something I’ve done before, but we haven’t tried it here,” Erickson said. “We’re trying to simulate game conditions.”