Shortly after Craig Fitzgerald arrived at Penn State in January as the new strength and conditioning coach, Silas Redd sat down with him.
Redd told Fitzgerald that he wanted to lift like the linemen and run like the wide receivers.
“I’m getting pretty close,” Redd said during spring practice. “After the winter tests, I was the third-strongest on the team, pound for pound. I’m trying to be No. 1 when we do our next testing.
“That’s because I’m buying into what they’re doing in there. I really believe in it. I’m not a slacker. When I go in there, I’m not playing around.”
Redd didn’t fool around in his first two seasons at Penn State. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry as a freshman while playing behind Evan Royster, the school’s all-time leading rusher. He enjoyed a breakout year in 2011, rushing for 1,241 yards and being named to the All-Big Ten second team.
And he’s serious about becoming a complete running back. He’s working to become stronger and faster and trying to improve his pass-catching and blocking.
“I’m trying to become a great overall back,” Redd said. “I’ve been working on my hands a lot. I dropped a couple balls last year.
“The main thing I’m working on is blocking. Coach (Bill O’Brien) said most rookie running backs (in the NFL) don’t know how to block. God willing, if I get a chance to go to the next level, that’s something I want to be pretty good at.”
Redd was pretty good running the ball last year, especially when he posted five consecutive 100-yard games in midseason and led the
nation in rushing in October with 703 yards.
But he suffered a collarbone injury against Nebraska, which limited his effectiveness the rest of the season. He still managed to finish with the 10th-highest rushing total in Penn State history.
“I’m pretty pleased with where the running game is,” O’Brien said.
Redd suffered from mild tendinitis in his right knee and saw fewer repetitions during spring practice, but he expects to be fine in the fall.
So do his teammates.
“Silas is doing what he always does,” center Matt Stankiewitch said. “He’s relentless. He runs the ball hard. He’s always trying to get those extra yards. It doesn’t matter if it’s a practice or a game. He’s one of the hardest workers on the team. He prides himself on that.”