True freshman making impact

Saturday night against Kentucky, true freshman running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis was playing under a lot of pressure. His family was in town from New Orleans, La., for Freshmen Family Weekend, to see him play collegiate football for the first time in person.\nAmong them was Green-Ellis' biggest critic, someone who routinely pointed out what he was doing wrong or what skills he needed to improve in football growing up.\nThat, of course, was his grandmother. \n"My grandmother is definitely my biggest critic," Green-Ellis said. "She's always like, 'You could've done better,' or 'You played better when you were younger,' and that always makes me want to strive to do better."\nIt was that dedication to becoming a stronger football player that helped Green-Ellis land a scholarship to IU and make an immediate impact. In his first few games as a Hoosier, Green-Ellis has already become a fixture in IU's three running back rotation, alongside senior Brian Lewis and sophomore Chris Taylor.\nTaylor, who also played extensively as a true freshman, said he hasn't had to give Green-Ellis much advice.\n"I just told him to go out there and relax," he said. "Really, when he came in, he was already adjusted. He had great speed, power and everything. He's going to be a complete back."\nAfter a more than 1,000-yard rushing, 12-touchdown senior season at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, Green-Ellis committed to IU the night before signing day. He contemplated a number of football powerhouses, including Florida State and Oklahoma, but ultimately wanted a school where he would get playing time as a freshman. While other schools wanted him to redshirt a year, IU proved the best fit. \n"I wanted to play early and contribute like I'm doing now," he said. "I didn't want to go to my other choices and sit on the bench for two or three years and not play 'til my junior year and have to redshirt. I felt I was mature enough and ready enough to play college football immediately." \nGreen-Ellis played immediately for IU, logging seven carries in the season opener at UConn and 12 more against Washington. It wasn't until the team's third game, however, that Green-Ellis had the kind of performance the coaching staff hopes the next four years will be colored with.\nIn the Sept. 13 game against Indiana State, he carried the ball 20 times for 107 yards and a pair of scores, leading IU to its first win. \n"That was very impressive," said running-back coach Gerald Brown. "That was our thinking going into the game, to run the football, and he had a big night with those 100-plus yards. He has unlimited potential. He's a young guy. He's just going to get better as he matures and gets older."\nFor Green-Ellis, it wasn't nearly enough.\n"It felt like practice," he said. "The only thing different is there were people in the stands. It was a little bit more exciting but not really. I feel like I can get into the end zone more than two times a game. Coach doesn't design a play and say, 'BenJarvus, take it three or four yards and fall down.' Every play they design, they want me to score. That's my job. Every time I touch the ball, I want to score."\nIn his last game, Green-Ellis did just that, at least in one aspect of his position. Although he struggled rushing the ball against Kentucky, totaling just 16 yards on five carries, Green-Ellis did have one catch. And he took it the distance. Green-Ellis caught a screen pass from junior quarterback Matt LoVecchio and raced 63 yards down the sidelines for the score. \nWhen all was said and done, Green-Ellis left the locker room following IU's 34-17 loss to see his family and his grandmother. \n"I hope I made her proud," he said as he left. "I hope I did."\n-- Contact staff reporter Gavin Lesnick at glesnick@indiana.edu.