Michigan OC Al Borges: Fitz Toussaint 'looked good' in return to practice
Suspended Michigan tailback Fitz Toussaint looked sharp in his camp debut Monday.
Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com
"He's looked good," offensive coordinator Al Borges said Tuesday during a news conference at Schembechler Hall. "Fitz is Fitz. There hasn't really been any difference and he's in great shape.
"He just looks like Fitz to me. No more, no less."
Toussaint was held out of the Wolverines' first seven workouts following an offseason drunken-driving arrest. Although he's returned to practice, he remains suspended indefinitely and his status for the season opener against Alabama is unknown.
The Youngstown, Ohio, native is facing one misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and is slated to be arraigned in a Saline courtroom Aug. 28, four days before Michigan faces the Crimson Tide.
Coach Brady Hoke said recently he was not concerned about Toussaint missing the first week of workouts because "he's played a lot of football." He rushed for 1,041 yards last year, his first season as the starter.
Borges saw some of that Monday.
"He's on top of things in our offense," the second-year coordinator said. "He's a smart kid, and he's done it enough. From an Xs and Os perspective, I think Fitz will be fine."
Running backs coach Fred Jackson said Toussaint is in even better shape for his junior season, after putting on almost 10 pounds while also increasing his speed.
Coaches gave Toussaint a plan to stay sharp while he missed workouts. Now that he's back, Jackson said he's been told to prepare Toussaint as though he will play against Alabama.
"Brady just said to prepare him, and that’s what we’re doing," Jackson said. "I treat him like nothing happened. I’m preparing him, because the kid made a mistake, he’s paying for it and I think I got to treat him as if everything is just status quo so he’s ready to go."
For now, Toussaint is getting a "balanced" diet of reps at tailback, Borges said. Backups Thomas Rawls, Vincent Smith and Justice Hayes had been absorbing Toussaint's reps in his absence.
Rawls, a sophomore with 13 career carries, is expected to be the featured back if Toussaint is unavailable against Alabama.
Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.
Comments
edjasbord
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 1:28 p.m.
All you self-righteous egomaniacs are going to feel like you wasted a lot of hang-wringing and hot air on this issue when you find out that Fitz will indeed not play against Alabama. You might even come to know that he was never going to play. The key is that Hoke doesnt want to shape how Saban prepares. It's called strategy. Its called gamesmanship. It's a lot of what college football is all about. And its obvious - it's almost as if this will be your first season watching the sport.
edjasbord
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 6:23 p.m.
@TheWay - Right you are, thanks.
BamaJoe
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 5 p.m.
I'm not sure why they are still being called suspended? If they don't play, that's BENCHED. Suspended means NOT participating at all.
TheWay
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 4:35 p.m.
I think you mean Hoke DOES want to shape how Saban prepares.
trespass
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 10:03 a.m.
It is called discipline. Without it the entire program is in jeapordy. Hoke needs to let every member of the team know that, however good a player you are, you will be disciplined if you break his rules or the law. It cannot just be lip service.
Brian Welts
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 8:12 a.m.
Ok so he screwed up, but unless you drive for a living is your employer going suspend you indefinitely? The guy is going to be punished in a court of law and that's punishment enough for most people. Why should he be punished more than he is by Hoke already? Double standard I think. Let the courts do their job and Hoke as he sees fit.
redceder1
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 6:23 a.m.
Still trying to figure out what he is suspended from. He is practicing with the team and the coaches are preparing him for the first game. Even Joke is not sure if he will play or not. Maybe he is suspended indefinately from beer? Indefinately meaning he could have one right about............now.
Billy Bob Schwartz
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 2:54 p.m.
Hey, the guy thinks m-shoe is on the red ceder river? He uses a 1 in case another stater decides to steal his idea. Cute.
nattiejames
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 12:06 p.m.
It's spelled "indefinitely." Misspell it once, and, well, maybe it's a typo. Misspell it twice, and, well, maybe you're just a Spartan.
TheWay
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 4:54 a.m.
It's really depressing for me to hear so many Michigan faithful sounding like Moo-U fans. Toussaint didn't break curfew. He didn't slide over the hood of a car. He didn't cheat on a test. He didn't take money... he endangered lives. Period. Regardless of how out of character it might be fore him, and regardless of how badly he'd be missed vs. Alabama, every single one of you knows in your heart of hearts that he should sit at least one game. The most important things here are to do what will have the greatest chance of averting this type of behavior by Fitz in the future and to set a precedent that will help insure it doesn't happen with other players in the future.
DW
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 6:44 p.m.
.12 three beers maybe. Big deal. Misdemeanor. Move on. Victomless crime.
Mike
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 1:47 a.m.
3 beers make a 200 lbs male a .12? Wowza.
Dylnard
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7:51 p.m.
Given when it happened, I highly doubt it was 3 beers. Probably was winding down from quite a few drinks. No excuse can be made on this nor should it be trivialized. I HATE the victimless crime argument. The point is that he put himself in a position where there could have been a victim. It was irresponsible. Since I have no ties to the program, I am not going to question Hoke either way on what he decides to do. But I do think the best punishment (from an outside perspective) is to hold him out of the Bama game. What better way to learn a lesson by finding out your actions not only impact yourself, but it also impacts your teammates? Should make you AND your teammates think twice.
Scott
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 6:02 p.m.
Two penalties. Good eye. What are those pink bands above the elbow for? To pull tendons tight and prevent injury?
TheWay
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 5:16 a.m.
You think something as compassionate as sacrificing manliness to promote women's health is something that was likely invented by the SEC? Your insult: it failed.
Scott
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 9:27 p.m.
Thanks. Must have invented it at some SEC school.
DW
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7:17 p.m.
Only from an SEC guy. LMFAO
SEC Fan
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7 p.m.
who's not aware of boobs?
DW
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 6:54 p.m.
its a boob awareness thing. All football teams do something for it during October. I think Johnny Jugs started it.
Hailmary
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 5:54 p.m.
I don't know which is more interesting, getting Fitz ready to play against Alabama or getting rid of Obama.
TheWay
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 5:18 a.m.
"O VOMIT" gets to stay? Who's moderating? Michelle Bachmann?
Scott
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 6:04 p.m.
No politics or religion in civil discussion if you want to be a cultured person.
edjasbord
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 5:47 p.m.
For the experts - are we seeing 2 penalties in the photo for this story? Facemask by Purdue and holding by Michigan?
Milqueman
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 4:25 a.m.
The're offsetting penalties, so let's just redo this whole article.
umgoblue47
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7:47 p.m.
CORRECT on the two penalties . . . and fitz is indicating he only had one beer. GO BLUE!!!
Big Tex
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7:04 p.m.
Actually, I think it's 3 penalties; the ball carrier is clearly giving the cameraman "the finger," so that's unsportsmanlike conduct.
Robert Granville
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 5:30 p.m.
Let the judgement begin! Everybody is a head coach, don't ya know. I, for one, think Coach Hoke can handle this one without input from the peanut gallery. Regardless of what anyone outside of the program thinks, Hoke will take care of business and Fitz will straighten course for himself and his daughter. The alternative is unacceptable for Fitz and the program. He knows this is the privilege of a lifetime. We all know he's a better person than most are giving him credit for and this is the first and last time we'll hear his name on a police blotter.
heartbreakM
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 6:45 p.m.
You are right that it does not matter what any of us think. However, in response to you, I think it's safe to say that most of us know nothing about what kind of person he is. We would like to think ALL Michigan athletes (including Fitz) are upstanding citizens, academic and athletic stars, ethical, nice, etc citizens. It's part of the fantasy world we all live in where we worship our athletes and project everything good onto them. WE have no idea if Fitz is a "better person" than his police record (though we all hope he is). I would venture to say none of us know anything about Hoke, Paterno, Beilein, Bellicheck, either. Though we all like to think they are men of character, we honestly only know the results on the field and the carefully manicured public personas of each. Same with the players *unless you are a roommate or a good friend of the person. None of us, though, are debating Fitz's character--only his legal miscue and what repercussions such a miscue should merit.
SEC Fan
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 6:15 p.m.
If he "knows" all of this, as I assume the other 7 players "know"...why so many breaking the law?
edjasbord
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 5:50 p.m.
But what about judging Hoke and Fitz so I can get my daily anonymous, long-distance ego boost? I need the anonymous internet ego boost!
Bludogg97
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 5:45 p.m.
Agreed Robert.. well said..