Justin Green was the Ravens fifth round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. Green played college ball at the Division I-AA school of Montana where he was a multi-purpose back who combined the quickness of a tailback with the size of a fullback. Green arrived in Baltimore with the reputation of a physical north-south runner more suited to a one back offense as well as the ability to catch the ball outside his body frame.
Green wasn’t known for his blocking in large part because he was a featured back at Montana. He is working diligently to shape his game for the NFL and has high hopes and expectations for the coming year.
Recently I caught up with Justin to see how he’s preparing for 2006 and to get his thoughts on his rookie season.
TL: Justin, let’s talk about your rookie season. We know the team struggled but from a personal standpoint, how did the season go for you, the highs and the lows?
JG: For me I was just happy to be on the football field. You know, being a rookie was a dream come true situation for me. I started off on special teams and tried to prove myself there. Actually my first play, the first play that counted was a squib kick that was kicked right to me and that sort of started things off for me.
And from there, there were a couple of injuries and I started a couple games and I do believe I did pretty well for myself – to make a name for myself and to continue being the number 1 fullback next year.
TL: A squib kick on the first play, that had to be like a deer in headlights situation…
JG: It definitely was because I had never practiced any squib kicks. The coach just kind of threw me in and my question was what if they don’t squib kick it and he said, “well then just run up and block somebody.”
TL: The best laid plans…
JG: Yeah it came right to me and he said “If it comes to you get what you can get and go down.”
TL: Fans of the team and those that cover the Ravens and the entire NFL for that matter often hear about the rookie wall. Did that affect you at all and how?
JG: I don’t necessarily think that I hit the wall. The only thing that I think was different was probably playing Sunday night and then having to play that Monday, that quick turnaround that way. That was a little different for me as well as a long grueling season. I’ve never played that many games. In college we had playoffs (in Division I-AA) so we played more games than I-A schools, but still the preseason games kind of get to you and it feels like you are in week 7 even though you’ve played only three games.
TL: Are you training any differently going into your second season?
JG: Definitely. Last year I was training more for the combine. It was more of a combine training [regimen] with the drills that we had to do. Now I’m trying to train towards what I need – my upper body needs to fill out because I now have to deal with bigger guys.
TL: They are a little bit bigger [in the NFL than in I-AA].
JG: (chuckles) Yeah a little bigger and that is something that I struggled with at the fullback position beings that I have to hit big guys.
TL: What was your playing weight at Montana, last season and where are you today?
JG: I was playing at about 245 and the difference between Montana and Baltimore is that at Montana I was running the ball. At the I-AA programs you don’t have that size at linebacker. You have a lot more speed at linebacker and I was able to beat up on them because I was
bigger than they were. And now I am a lot leaner than I’ve ever been. I’m at 255 right now and I plan on losing another 5 pounds and playing at about 250.
bigger than they were. And now I am a lot leaner than I’ve ever been. I’m at 255 right now and I plan on losing another 5 pounds and playing at about 250.TL: You were a solid contributor on special teams. Did you participate on special teams at Montana?
JG: No, I played a little bit as a personal protector on punts but I hadn’t played any special teams consistently since my days at San Diego State.
TL: Talk about what personal protector means.
JG: That is the player right in front of the punter in the fullback position on the punt team that calls out the formation.
TL: We hear the Ravens stress that there’s always three phases of the game that are all equally important: offense, defense and special teams and I’m sure that’s been drilled into your head often. A lot of times it is a way for a player to make a team that might not otherwise make it. How might you approach special teams differently heading into the 2006 season?
JG: As a fullback I’m not in on every play so you have to show up elsewhere and special teams is definitely the place to do that. I think the biggest thing in making a team is showing up on tape. Wherever you can show up on tape, the more you can do the more valuable you are and if it comes down to you and someone else, it’s going to come down to how much value do you have and how much tape do you show up on. And special teams for me – I want to go down and hit people and that’s what I love to do. So on kickoffs and kickoff returns, I look for that guy who I match up well with. That’s the same for punt and punt return.
TL: Jim Fassel will supposedly be more involved in game planning and play calling in 2006. Talk about his role in last year’s offense.
JG: I think his role was just that of the offensive coordinator. He’s a former head coach and I think [offensive coordinator] was something that he had to get used to as well as the players that he has. In certain situations you can’t have the players that you would normally expect. So he had to feel out his players to see what he had. This year I think he knows and he has a grasp of everybody’s role and what people can and can’t do and put people in the best position to succeed and ultimately put points on the board.
TL: If Jim Fassel is more involved, how might that affect you? Have they talked to you about this during the offseason so far?
JG: Not quite, other than this year from last year I just have to build on it. I’m sure he expects more from me now that I have my foot in the door and I’m going to give him everything that I possibly can at the fullback position. I believe that I present a different size and character at fullback and I want to be able to show that this year.
TL: Well there’s no question about it that you offer more versatility at the position than the Ravens have had in the past. We’ve had players here like Sam Gash, Alan Ricard and Ovie Mughelli and for those guys the objective was to line up in front of Jamal and hit linemen and linebackers to help open holes for the tailback. Talk a little about your versatility and how that could work for the Ravens particularly when you consider Jamal Lewis and Mike Anderson who have comparable skills at the tailback position. The team seems to be missing that third down back or change of pace back – a role that was filled by Chester Taylor. Could you see yourself as a contributor in that role?
JG: I’m really not sure. I would love to be as you said that change of pace back but there’s things that have to be shown from me, that I could [handle such a role]. The biggest thing is that we do have two featured backs, we’re in a two back situation and it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to fly under the radar with everyone concentrating on Jamal Lewis. I think that is more my role and being that number 1 change of pace that we go to.
TL: One player the Ravens brought on a couple of years ago – he’s been a punt returner and kick returner, is B.J. Sams. I spoke with Gary Zauner a couple of years ago and one of the things that impressed Gary about B.J. was that Ray Lewis pulled Gary aside to tell him that they had no one who could stay with him coming out of the backfield. Is there any chance from your perspective that we could see B.J. Sams utilized more in the backfield?
JG: I’m really not sure. B.J. Sams is a great athlete! He’s a very fast and very quick individual – a special individual. I’m not really sure what they have in mind for him. Again, he’s going to do great things beings that we have Gansz, Jr. as the new special teams coach and little Fassel helping him out. It’s going to be an interesting situation to see him on the field this year.
that we have Gansz, Jr. as the new special teams coach and little Fassel helping him out. It’s going to be an interesting situation to see him on the field this year.TL: Justin last year the offensive line struggled even in the running game where they’ve been very effective in zone blocking and providing cut back opportunities for the tailbacks. Despite this, the front office seems to have confidence in the group. Do you expect improvement and why?
JG: Definitely. You know the offensive line is definitely going to improve with the more time they spend with one another and get to play off each other. I think the biggest thing is getting the young guys playing time and beginning to mesh with the guys that are already there.
TL: Justin we hear that a lot and we hear about continuity and how critical that is on the offensive line but for the benefit of [the fans], tell us why that is so important and then talk about it from the perspective of a tailback and a fullback.
JG: It is so important because sometimes your vocals, sometimes things happen so fast that you can’t tell the guy next to you what’s going on. He has to be able to feel you and to play off you. If there’s a stunt and a defender crosses, linemen have to know that you are going to be there to pick up his guy and that he doesn’t have to worry about chasing or he doesn’t have to worry about you doing something else that’s not what he’s thinking.
When you are on the same wavelength the offensive line is able to block better and things are able to mesh. As the fullback, I consider myself to be the third guard. I need to know what the offensive line is doing so that if something different is coming at us, we need to be able to handle it and figure it out on the run.
TL: Justin there’s been a lot of talk in town about the Ravens interest in Steve McNair. Share your thoughts on Steve McNair and what that might mean to the offense.
JG: With all the whispers, I’m really not sure what’s going on with that situation. McNair is a great quarterback. I loved him growing up and having him here would be a great situation for us. But Boller is my quarterback. He’s a guy that I look up to. So whether it’s Kyle or if Steve [comes in], I think it’s more of a competitive atmosphere at quarterback and we’ll see how that works out.
TL: I know you are doing all you can to prepare for the 2006 season but do you have any idea where the Ravens might be looking in the upcoming NFL Draft?
JG: You know I really don’t know. I would imagine that we’ll have to replace some of the guys we lost. We’ll have to get a safety to replace Will [Demps] and then deepen some of our positions – offensive line I would imagine since we lost Zeus. Just like I said, put guys in positions where we’ve lost guys who can help us not necessarily next year but in the future.
TL: You guys don’t get a lot of down time. The NFL has become almost a 12 month out of the year business. Talk about the offseason, your conditioning, what’s in store for you during the months ahead, how you are planning to prepare for the upcoming season?
JG: It was such a long season for me that I took off pretty much the whole month of January. February, I started getting back into it with lifting. March 20 was the first day of our winter conditioning. I’m staying on [Ravens strength and conditioning coach] Jeff Friday’s pace with running and lifting [and it] will take care of me during the season.
My biggest goals this season are to get more upper body [strength] in my shoulders get stronger so that I’ll be able to last a whole season. I broke my wrist last year and I really want to be able to work on my forearms. And then all the little things, ankles and knees and keep them strong as possible.
TL: Any residual affects from the broken wrist?
JG: No I’m good to go. My wrist is back to 100% and they’ve got me in the ice bucket and we’ve really been working on forearms and wrists.
TL: What sort of personal goals do you have for the 2006 season?
JG: First and foremost I want to start. I want to play in games, whether that’s starting or playing. I’m definitely going to shoot high, I can tell you that.
