Dantonio gives props to Shonn Greeene

[PJHawk]

Big Ten Blog - ESPN


EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Mark Dantonio isn't the type of coach who makes bold statements just for the heck of it. So Larry Caper had better listen up. When talking about Caper's progress this spring and his potential for the 2010 season on Tuesday, Dantonio handed out some high praise to his running back.

"In a lot of ways, he reminds me of some of the great ones in the Big Ten, like Shonn Greene, with his ability to break tackles and run away with power," Dantonio said. Asked who Caper's running style best compares to, Dantonio didn't hesitate. "Shonn Greene," he said, "if you're going to compare somebody to him. Because he runs downhill with power."

In case you forgot, Greene won Big Ten Offensive MVP honors with Iowa in 2008 after racking up 1,850 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, eclipsing 100 rushing yards in all 13 games that season. He had a strong rookie year for the New York Jets last fall and enters the 2010 season as the Jets' projected starter.


"That's a great comparison," Caper said when told of Dantonio's line about Greene. "He runs hard and physical, and I'm running more physical now this spring than I had been last fall. ... I think I'm a little bit faster than [Greene], but he's bigger than me, he's more powerful."

 

[hwkwyld]

Nice!

I think that Greene will be the gold standard for running backs in the B10 for the next few years.

 

[homerHAWKeye777]

I won't complain if guys within the state of Michigan want to play like Mr. Shonn Greene ... a former Iowa Hawkeye!

Good advertising ... never hurts in the recruiting game!

 

[HaydensDad]

This guy is full of it. I lost all respect for him after last year's game. They were lucky to even be in that game, and for him to cry about the calls afterwards was very unclassy. No place for that in our conference.

 

[DuffMan]

Man I really wish we had more than one year of this guy. I remember watching him get mop duty his freshman year and thinking about how great he was going to be.

Don't get me wrong he was great but if he would have had 2 years as the feature back he probably wins a Heisman. Being a nobody to open the season definately cost him. If he had any preseason hype at all it would have been his.

 

[PJHawk]

Don't get me wrong he was great but if he would have had 2 years as the feature back he probably wins a Heisman. Being a nobody to open the season definately cost him. If he had any preseason hype at all it would have been his.

Given a similar performance in '09 as we saw in '08 he would have won the Heisman, especially when no clear cut favorite emerged for practically the entire season. BTW Shonn damn well should have had an invite to NYC in '08.

 

[Jonesy86]

I hope he's like Shonn Greene this coming year.. as in he doesn't convert a fourth and short to sustain a possible game winning drive against us..haa

 

[BeerZaux]

thats cool of him to say that- easy for him to say it too after how Shon played in the playoffs last season

if we as Hawkeye fans are lucky, besides the great depth we have at runningback currently, Coker will remind us of SG in a couple years

 

[CAARHawk]

"I know Shonn Greene, he was our tailback. You sir, are no Shonn Greene."

 

[HawkinGoferLand]

"That's a great comparison," Caper said when told of Dantonio's line about Greene. "....I think I'm a little bit faster than [Greene], but he's bigger than me, he's more powerful."

Everyone thinks they are faster than Greene, until they have to run him down!

 

[EastLosRandy]

Everyone thinks they are faster than Greene, until they have to run him down!

Like the entire Chargers secondary...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFCiPA9Comw&feature=related]YouTube - Shonn Greene 53 Yd TD Run vs. Chargers (HQ)[/ame]

 

[ghstinshll]

I love that.

"there's a whole lot more speed there than you ever thought!~"

 

[RunDMK88]

Shonn is the best back to win the Doak Walker since LT in 2000, and he'll prove it in the pros.