Happy days everyone. Welcome back to the Bearcats Blog 2014 season countdown. It’s unknown how the countdown will work over the weekend. It may be three items connected on Monday, or there might be a post every day. I’m not sure yet. What I am sure of, is that you can catch up with the rest of the series by clicking the story boxes up top. They all link together.
#28 – Tion Green
Tion Green had an interesting season in 2013. He rushed for 412 yards and 7 TDs, which were mighty fine, mighty solid numbers. He led the team in rushing touchdowns. Green showed his way to being the thunder part to any thunder and lightning combination in the Cincinnati backfield. That’s not to say 2013 was all peaches. Green had some fumbles. Fumbles are never ideal for a running back. Well, most of the time anyway. If there is an interception and the running back is a tackler, a fumble would be ideal. See Maurice Clarett.
Cincinnati’s backfield was very muddled a season ago. Ralph David Abernathy IV received the most carries, while practically being the most pedestrian back Cincinnati put on the field. Green didn’t get any kind of consistent playing time until the South Florida game, UC’s 5th game. Even then, it was kind of scatter shot. The Temple game was by far Green’s best of the season. He had a season high in carries, 18, yards, 91, and set his season high with 2 TDs. That would be matched in a game against Memphis.
The biggest hurdle for Green to cross this season is earning more playing time. With Abernathy looking out of the mix as a full time running back, that should allow Green to bank more carries. Rod Moore is moving back to running back. There are also newcomers at the position, but they don’t seem like much competition as of now. One wouldn’t think Gunner Kiel would run as much as Brendon Kay did if Gunner wins the starting job. Counting Jordan Luallen, the third through sixth place yardage leaders were quarterbacks.
What stands out about Green though, is that he’s unlike the rest of the backs. He’s a big guy at 6 feet, 220. Only Bobby Brown is 6 feet tall amongst the rest. No one is within 20 pounds of Green. He’s got a role this season. As a junior, you want to see a breakout. The conditions are ripe. I think we see Tion Green break out even more in 2014. I can’t wait to see what he does.
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