Kiffin made correct decision with RB Bush

By Anthony Carroll  |   Thursday, August 28, 2008  |  Comments( 15 )

Oakland Raiders
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Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush spent about two years in doctors' offices and on the sidelines just waiting for his shot to return to the football field.

And just when it seemed the 24-year-old was finally back in the thick of things, a season-ending injury to fullback Oren O’Neal almost put a severe damper on Bush's NFL plans.

It was rumored that head coach Lane Kiffin was planning on making a permanent roster move that would relocate the 245-pounder from the superfluous HB position to the depleted FB one.

Bush has the size to fill the role and soft enough hands to make plays out of the backfield. And the team only had one other active fullback, veteran Justin Griffith. So it all made sense. It’s the type of move you make in a video game without thinking twice.

But just one practice at the position put the once-hopeful Bush in a mood that no coach likes to see his players in.

“’Yeah,’ that’s all I’m going to say about that,” Bush said of the position change to the San Francisco Chronicle after a closed practice Monday.

“It’s one of those things. You just suck it up, go about your business and try to have some fun with it.”

The Louisville, Ky., native, though, only had to make the best of the sticky situation for one day. After reevaluating the roster change, Kiffin opted to assure Bush that he’ll stay at the position he excelled at as a Heisman hopeful and waited so long to return to.

“Michael Bush is a tailback here,” Kiffin said Wednesday. “We’re going to look at some things in some certain personnels to utilize him because he catches the ball so well and he is a bigger tailback. But don’t mistake that.”

In the end, the second-year head coach will likely look back at the situation with no regrets.

The 6-foot-2 halfback rushed for more than 2,500 yards and racked up over 50 touchdowns in his three-plus year career with the University of Louisville. This preseason, he’s shown that he has the potential to return to his collegiate form. Bush has handled 27 exhibition carries for 96 yards and a TD in three games, including one 14-carry, 59-yard performance against the stout Tennessee Titans defense.

“Michael Bush isn’t here to be a fullback. [He] has a chance to be a spectacular tailback in this league and that’s what he’s here to play.”

That’s a certainly a sigh a relief for the young running back.

Finally, something went his way.

Anthony Carroll can be contacted at

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About Anthony Carroll

Anthony Carroll began writing for RealFootball365.com on Sept. 26, 2005, making him one of the longest tenured contributors to the “365” team. As a senior writer, Anthony has taken on the task of delivering original content to the silver and black faithful year round, despite having to deal ...
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