The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Greene returns from knee injury
South grad, Notre Dame College redshirt senior on first contact in spring practice: ‘It was good’
It might have felt like a typical spring football practice at Notre Dame College, but there was nothing typical about the one on March 19 for D.J. Greene.
When Coach Mike Jacobs dismissed his team from the Falcons’ third practice of the spring, Greene ran off Mueller Field holding his helmet and a knee brace.
The brace is a reminder of 2017, when the Willoughby South graduate suffered a devastating knee injury that nearly ended his football career.
On this day, it marked that Greene, a running back, was officially back. Last season — when the Falcons were 13-1, won the Mountain East Conference and advanced to an NCAA Division II national semifinal — Greene suited up and was at every NDC practice, even though he could not participate. The goal for the redshirt senior was to provide emotional support and leadership as an upperclassman.
“He always kept that positive energy in practice,” said NDC teammate Marvelle Ross of Villa Angela-St. Joseph. “That goes a long way with me. That shows to me you’re not a selfish individual.”
Greene has been officially cleared for contact, and on March 19 that contact felt great.
“It was actually on a block,” said Greene, the 2014 Tony Fisher Award winner. “That first contact, I’m like, ‘I’m here.’ It was good.”
Ross — a receiver and kick returner who nearly had 2,000 all-purpose yards in 2018 — said Greene’s return is huge for program.
“I’m assuming it was just a relief for him to overcome everything,” said Ross following the March 19 practice. “With him, he had a strong mind (during his rehab), and was staying positive.”
Said Greene: “I’m blessed. I’m thankful. A little
rusty obviously.”
It has been nearly two years since Greene has been on a football field and taken contact. During a 2017 practice after the fourth game that season, Greene made a cut on a run, and in the process tore his ACL in his left knee. On the tackle, and subsequent pile-up, he dislocated his knee cap. It ended a promising start to the season in which he averaged 142 rushing yards in the team’s first four games.
The knee injury was so severe — there was also nerve damage — doctors weren’t confident Greene would ever play football again. Greene had other ideas.
“(The recovery) was hard but at the same time easy because of the support system I have here,” he said.
Greene’s recovery has impressed his coaches, teammates, the training staff … just about everybody.
“It’s great to see because D.J. has worked his tail off to get back on the field,” said Jacobs.
Now the trick for Jacobs
and his offensive staff is finding enough carries for Greene and returning All-America running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who isn’t just another running back. As a true freshman in 2018, he ran for a schoolrecord 2,421 yards and 18 touchdowns and was third in voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is given to the nation’s top player in D-II.
“We might need to cut the football in half,” said Jacobs with a laugh. “Maybe into thirds with Marvelle, too.”
Jacobs might be joking about touches in 2019, but it will be all business for opponents trying to defend the Falcons in the fall. Ross is a bonafide threat to score every time he touches the ball.
He had 1,203 receiving yards on 77 catches and 10 touchdowns in 2018. As a kick returner, he added another 693 yards and scored three times on punt returns. He has seven career TDs on returns, and with another in 2019 Ross will have a return TD in every season at NDC.
Then there’s the return of Greene to the offensive backfield. His first two years at NDC (2015 and 2016), the 6-foot, 205-pounder bulldozertype back with breakaway speed averaged 1,067 yards per season and scored 19 touchdowns.
Greene was well on his way to another 1,000yard season in 2017. In NDC’s first four games, he amassed 567 yards.
Jacobs said long before Greene’s return the Falcons’ lineup was “an embarrassment of riches,” and “a nice problem to have.” Now with Greene back, that situation really gets amplified.
That’s “a problem” for the fall, said Jacobs. The message this spring from the coach is his team not settling on the accomplishments of 2018.
“You’re going to hear me say, ‘Complacency kills’ about 1,000 times during practice,” said Jacobs.
Fortunately for the NDC coach, he can rely on a number of upperclassmen to lead the way — Greene in particular.