Packers’ Gado a ray of hope

By David Murray | Monday, July 31, 2006 | ( 0 )

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Of all the injuries that haunted the Green Bay Packers during their nightmarish 2005 campaign, perhaps none was more costly than the season-ending ruptured quadriceps tendon suffered by No. 1 running back Ahman Green in Week Seven against the Minnesota Vikings.

Green will be testing his right leg in training camp, and one of the biggest questions facing the new Packer regime under first-year head coach Mike McCarthy is whether or not the nine-year veteran out of Nebraska can regain the form that helped him compile five 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his first seven seasons with Green Bay.

If there was a ray of hope amid the disappointingly black clouds of '05, it was provided by rookie running back Samkon Gado. The Nigerian native out of Liberty University stepped in for Green and rushed for a team leading 582 yards and six touchdowns.

It was quite a feat for someone who was a pre-med major in college and started only two games in his entire NCAA career. Gado was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent, and wound up on the Packers' practice squad in October thanks to the team's injury problems.

Green's backup, Najeh Davenport, suffered a broken ankle and was also lost for the season. In his first start for the Packers, Gado carried the ball 25 times for 103 yards and scored three touchdowns in an improbable 33-25 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Gado would go on to have two more 100-yard efforts, gaining 111 against the Philadelphia Eagles and an amazing 171 against the Detroit Lions before going down with a sprained MCL late in the Packers' 4-12 campaign.

Of course, the Packers are hoping Green will return to his Pro Bowl form, stay healthy and pile up some big numbers in 2006. He is the second-leading rusher in Green Bay history, trailing only the legendary Jimmy Taylor, and with another 1,000-yard season, Green will be very close to catching the Hall of Famer. Assuming Green returns to the starting role in '06, Gado will battle Davenport and Noah Herron for playing time as a backup, third down receiver or special teams performer.

Gado's father left Nigeria to study at a South Carolina Bible College when his son was nine, and he was joined by his family shortly thereafter. One day Gado intends to tackle medical school and to return to his homeland as a medical missionary. Meanwhile, he hopes he can continue to contribute to the Green Bay Packers' cause in whatever role the team sees fit, and help begin to turn things around for the storied franchise beginning in September.

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