Jarryd hits the ground running

Time languishing in practice squad pays off for NFL rookie

FULL CONTACT SPORT: Jarryd Hayne tries to break through a tackle from Nevin Lawson, No. 24 for the Detroit Lions. JARRYD Hayne got his first start at running back for the San Francisco 49ers and declared his performance showed he belonged in the NFL.

In his first career start, Hayne took nine carries for 27 yards, and received a careerhigh 14 touches.

Every offensive statistic for Hayne on Sunday set a new career high, including his long run of 11 yards.

The performance came on the heels of being recalled to the active roster on Saturday. Hayne had previously spent six weeks on the team’s practice squad.

Despite Hayne’s noticeable improvements, the 49ers suffered a 32-17 loss to the Detroit Lions and his coach Jim Tomsula stopped short of universal praise.

“I wouldn’t say I was expecting it, but I was definitely hoping for it,” Hayne said after the game of his callup from the practice squad, where he has languished for most of the season.

“I was hoping to get the ball in my hands and to be a big part of the game.

“It felt great,” Hayne added. “Leading up to it, you think about the game and what you want to do in the game about how you want to play and whatnot.

‘‘At the end of the day, I said to myself that I need to go out there and do what I do.

“I know I’m capable of playing at this level and I have a lot of confidence in my ability. To go out there and perform the way I did today, I think it showed.”

Hayne said his experience learning the game on the practice squad was “invaluable”.

“That’s just with the amount of reps I’ve gotten on the scout team and being by myself on the practice squad,” Hayne said.

“That’s been huge for me to be able to get that experience. It was invaluable.

“I obviously had a lot to catch up on. I felt great out there. There were probably one or two things I could have done better, but overall I was happy.”

Tomsula said Hayne “represented himself well” but was not 100 per cent convinced, however, detailing a play where Hayne just failed to reach a first down.

“Jarryd has to get to the sticks there,” Tomsula said after the game.

“He has to run that route to the sticks there. That’s just what has to happen there.”

49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert said Hayne “stepped up and ran the ball hard against a tough defensive line”.

“He stepped up and held his own. There are things we can build on and he’s only going to get better.”

The 49ers made a strong start before fading.

“We hadn’t started like that all year, so to come out and get a touchdown on the first drive … We started tremendous, but Detroit did a few things to get the momentum and they ran away with it. It was disappointing,” Hayne said.

“We came in looking for a win and we didn’t get it.”

In six weeks on the active roster to begin the season, Hayne served primarily as a punt returner and didn’t figure in the 49ers’ offensive game plan much. His hard work on the practice squad, Hayne said, resulted in added faith from the 49ers’ coaching staff in his abilities as a running back.