The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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ground, according to the running backs coach. The threat of his arm and his legs should clear extra space. "It's going to help," Jackson insisted. "Nine times out of 10, it's going to make people play different coverages. You're not going to be able to play man coverage underneath. They know if they play man coverage and don't account for Devin, Devin can kill you. "If you're not playing man coverage underneath, you're not adding the extra guy in the defense. Therefore, by the extra guy not being added, it allows the back to have more space to run the football. "Devin is such a great ball handler, and he's a guy who can hurt you in so many ways. They're going to have to worry about him in a different way than they had to worry about Denard. That will help us as running backs." Toussaint heard about all sorts of challengers for the top tailback spot while he was still in the healing stages. Many already had that spot assigned to true freshman Derrick Green, Rivals.com's top prep running back in the nation last year. The veteran kept quiet and answered with his legs when the time came. Jackson expects him to keep on churning out the yards through the Big Ten season, although Toussaint isn't on a Lone Ranger gallop, the coach assured. "I feel very confident in all my guys," Jackson said. "They're all Big Ten running backs. I don't have anybody I'm skeptical about. As we go, you'll see more of them play, because we've got to get a lot done. I'm very happy with all of them." ❏ Cliffhangers Slow Depth Development Michigan's fight to a 4-0 record certainly kept the non-conference season from producing yawns. The unexpected cardio checks, on the other hand, haven't been helpful in expanding the Wolverines' depth in some areas. At running back in particular, it's been the Fitzgerald Toussaint show. Of Michigan's backs, Toussaint boasts 79 carries through four games, and five other backs a combined 26. He's produced a team-leading 319 yards rushing, while true freshman Derrick Green's 60 yards on 13 tries leads the even 100 produced by the backups. Running backs coach Fred Jackson would like to get his other players onto the field more. Certainly, a non-conference schedule including Central Michigan, Akron and Connecticut whispered no shortage of mop-up time. It just hasn't worked out that way. Green, Rivals.com's top prep running back from a year ago, carried 11 times for 58 yards and a touchdown in Michigan's 59-9 win over Central in the opener. The battle against the Irish proved another story, Green carrying once and losing a yard. "It was a game that can turn," Jackson said. "I just didn't feel, at the time, I