Review of 2009 Recruiting: Running Back

Tag: Fitzgerald Toussaint


12May 2021
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Review of 2009 Recruiting: Running Back

Fitzgerald Toussaint (image via Toledo Blade)

The 2009 recruiting class was Rich Rodriguez’s first full recruiting class in Ann Arbor, and he brought in some diminutive running backs whose quickness and speed he thought could be successful in the Big Ten. The three backs he landed were all between 5’7″ and 5’10” (some measurements even had Vincent Smith at 5’6″), and he targeted some tiny slot/running back combo guys, too.

THE ROSTER

  • Kevin Grady (RS Sr.)
  • Carlos Brown (Sr.)
  • Brandon Minor (Sr.)
  • Michael Shaw (So.)
  • Michael Cox (RS Fr.)

THE RECRUITS

Teric Jones
Ratings: 3-star, #46 RB, #469 overall
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: N/A
Scoop: Jones committed to Michigan after a weekend visit on which he was offered. It was his first and only offer of the recruiting process. Known as a speedster, he never really showed it off at Michigan. Playing special teams and some defensive back, he made 9 tackles as a freshman in 2009. Then in 2010 at running back, he notched 3 carries for 7 yards. He quit football after that but remained at Michigan as a student.

Vincent Smith
Ratings: 3-star, #49 RB, #508 overall
High school: Pahokee (FL) Pahokee
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Tennessee, Wisconsin
Scoop: Smith was listed at 5’7″ and 159 lbs. during the recruiting cycle, but that didn’t stop some big programs from offering him. He ran for over 2,000 yards and scored 29 touchdowns as a high school senior. He was the #3 option as a freshman, but jumped to #1 at running back in 2010 when quarterback Denard Robinson was the primary running option. Smith was a willing blocker despite a lack of size. Overall, he ran 272 times for 1,269 yards (4.7 yards/carry) and 10 touchdowns, caught 46 passes for 435 yards and 7 touchdowns, and even threw a touchdown pass. He went undrafted in 2013 and did not play in the NFL.

Fitzgerald Toussaint
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #8 all-purpose back, #239 overall
High school: Youngstown (OH) Liberty
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Illinois, Pitt, West Virginia
Scoop: Until the recent drafting of Chris Evans, Toussaint was Michigan’s best pro prospect since Mike Hart graduated following the 2007 season. After redshirting in 2009 due to an injury, he was once again limited in 2010, running just 6 times for 87 yards and 1 touchdown. He became a great 1-2 running punch with Denard Robinson in 2011, when Toussaint had a career-best 1,056 rushing yards on 5.6 yards/carry with 9 touchdowns. For his college career, he ran 510 times for 2,290 yards (4.5 yards/carry) and 28 touchdowns, adding 31 catches for 298 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was not drafted in 2014, but he signed with the Ravens and then the Steelers as an undrafted free agent. His NFL career lasted four seasons and saw him run 44 times for 137 yards, adding 8 catches for 69 yards.

Hit the jump for a look at the rest of Michigan’s quarterback recruiting efforts in 2009.

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17Aug 2020
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Ranking Michigan’s Running Backs

Tim Biakabutuka

Please support the blog by using the Amazon links to make your purchases (LINK).

I went through the process of ranking Michigan’s quarterbacks (LINK), which created a lot of debate. This has been in the works for a long time, but here’s a look at my ranking of running backs, going back to the beginning of the Lloyd Carr era.

To be considered for this list, a running back must have started at least ten games in a Michigan uniform*, which roughly equals one full season’s worth of starts with some wiggle room for being banged up a little bit.

*There are two exceptions to this for different reasons, which you’ll see in the post.

Hit the jump.

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31Dec 2019
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Michigan’s All-Decade Team: 2010-2019

Taylor Lewan

There are probably some controversial choices here – starting with the quarterback choice – but if I were putting together an all-star squad from the 2010-2019 seasons, here’s who I would want on my team.

QUARTERBACK: Jake Rudock
RUNNING BACK: Fitzgerald Toussaint
FULLBACK/H-BACK: Khalid Hill
WIDE RECEIVER: Jeremy Gallon
WIDE RECEIVER: Junior Hemingway
TIGHT END: Jake Butt
OFFENSIVE TACKLE: Taylor Lewan
OFFENSIVE GUARD: Ben Bredeson
CENTER: David Molk
OFFENSIVE GUARD: Patrick Omameh
OFFENSIVE TACKLE: Mason Cole
OFFENSIVE ALL-PURPOSE: Denard Robinson

DEFENSIVE END: Chase Winovich
DEFENSIVE END: Taco Charlton
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Maurice Hurst, Jr.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Mike Martin
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: Jake Ryan
INSIDE LINEBACKER: Devin Bush, Jr.
INSIDE LINEBACKER: Ben Gedeon
CORNERBACK: Jourdan Lewis
CORNERBACK: David Long
SAFETY: Jarrod Wilson
SAFETY: Dymonte Thomas
NICKEL: Jabrill Peppers
DEFENSIVE ALL-PURPOSE: Jordan Kovacs

PUNTER: Will Hart
KICKER: Kenny Allen
PUNT RETURNER: Donovan Peoples-Jones
KICKOFF RETURNER: Giles Jackson

18Jan 2018
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Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Tom Brady

Tom Brady

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady went 35/53 for 337 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 35-14 win over the Tennessee Titans to move to the AFC Championship Game. This will be Brady’s seventh straight AFC Championship appearance. What he’s doing is ridiculous. They’ll face the Jaguars this coming weekend.

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Minnesota Vikings LB Ben Gedeon made 1 tackle in the 29-24 miracle win over the New Orleans Saints to move to the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles
  • Eagles DE Brandon Graham made 2 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 quarterback hurries in the 15-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons to move to the NFC Championship Game
  • Pittsburgh Steelers RB Fitzgerald Toussaint returned 2 kickoffs for 59 yards in a 45-42 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Jacksonville Jaguars SS Jarrod Wilson made 1 tackle and 2 pass breakups in the 45-42 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers to move to the AFC Championship Game
20Dec 2017
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Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Tom Brady

New England Patriots wide receiver Tom Brady completed 22/35 passes for 298 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots clinched the AFC East title.

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Dallas Cowboys DT Richard Ash made 1 tackle in a 20-17 win over the Oakland Raiders
  • Los Angeles Rams S Blake Countess made 2 tackles in a 42-7 win over the Seattle Seahawks
  • Seattle Seahawks WR Amara Darboh had 1 catch for 8 yards in the 42-7 loss to the Rams
  • Carolina Panthers WR Devin Funchess made 1 catch for 19 yards in a 31-24 win over the Green Bay Packers
  • Minnesota Vikings LB Ben Gedeon made 2 tackles in a 34-7 win over the Cincinnati Bengals
  • Philadelphia Eagles DE Brandon Graham made 4 tackles and 1 sack in a 34-29 win over the New York Giants
  • Patriots LB David Harris made 4 tackles in the 27-24 win over the Steelers
  • Baltimore Ravens DT Willie Henry made 1 tackle in a 27-10 win over the Cleveland Browns
  • Seattle Seahawks S Delano Hill made 1 tackle and then got ejected for fighting in a 42-7 loss to the Rams
  • Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis made 6 tackles and 1 pass breakup in the 20-17 win over Oakland
  • Browns S Jabrill Peppers made 6 tackles and 1 punt return for 11 yards in a 27-10 loss to the Ravens
  • Steelers RB Fitzgerald Toussaint had 1 carry for 3 yards in the 27-24 loss to the Patriots
  • Jacksonville Jaguars S Jarrod Wilson made 2 tackles in a 45-7 win over the Houston Texans