The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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butts are right next to each other on zone blocks, our combo-blocks are hard and there's no space between — you can see the difference when it's not. "Consistency is always the issue when you're not playing as well as you should. One time it looks good, and one time it doesn't — why? Maybe it's technique, lack of attention to detail, gap protection. "The runs that break have been pretty runs, just like you draw it up on the board. Then we run one and we miss a read. You've just got to keep pounding it, doing what you're doing, coaching what you coach and fixing the mistakes." TheWolverine.com Podcast Click this icon to play or stop the podcast! Jackson thought Toussaint appeared a bit tentative in Michigan's opener, which he insisted is normal after such a devastating injury. From then on, it's been full steam ahead. "In the Notre Dame game, he came to play," Jackson assured. "He showed no signs of hesitation. I thought he played really well and has bounced back to where he's going to be a heck of a back for us this year. "He's been around awhile. Poor kid has had all kinds of injuries. I'll never forget, he broke his shoulder blade, which is an injury people don't actually have in football, as a freshman. He has some other things and then the injury last year." Despite it all, Toussaint's head has remained in the game, Jackson observed. That's why he's Michigan's most well-rounded back at this point, an attribute sure to put any back high on Jackson's list. It's not all about running the football, especially when a team is one hit away from featuring a true freshman quarterback. That's why it's important that Toussaint learned well even during his various injury setbacks. "In the process, a lot of people don't stay in tune mentally with everything they have to do, because they're working on their injuries," Jackson said. "This young man has stayed in tune with it. He knows the offense as well as anybody, and he's playing fast because of that, especially in the pass protection, and he can catch the football. "He's shown, in a lot of cases, what a total back is. That kid is a total back." Toussaint appeared in total control two seasons ago, when he combined with Denard Robinson to give the Wolverines a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. Toussaint went for 1,041 on 187 carries, cashing in nine touchdowns on the ground in helping the Wolverines to an 11-2 season. He got off to a rocky start last season and never fully recovered. Suspended for the opener against Alabama for off-the-field troubles, Toussaint wound up carrying for 514 yards and five scores on the season. He'd like to regain the form of two years ago, and the Wolverines need that from him. According to Jackson,