Jared CohenIn 2015, Chase Lucas was the headlining running back for the number one ranked Chandler Wolves. Lucas had already put together a fantastic high school career as an underclassman and for his senior year, he was looking to make a statement.
But his season was cut extremely short has he went down with a knee injury that kept him out most of the season.
At the time of the injury, many did not know much about junior T.J. Green who along with senior Micah Reed-Campos had big shoes to fill with Lucas out.
“It was definitely unexpected,” Green told Sports360AZ. “Losing Chase was a tragedy for our team but we had to move on and keep going.”
Green took the opportunity and ran with it, literally. He would lead the teams in carries (109), rushing yards (1,148), all-purpose yards (1,217) and total touchdowns (11) becoming really the unsung hero of the team during the 2015 season.
“After the Bishop Gorman game, I definitely had to pick up my role as a player,” Green recalled. “To grind harder and get smarter for the game, for our team. So that’s what I did.”
Having gone through the work and preparation of a starting running back at a big program like Chandler, Green feels he has a ton of experience to fall back on heading into his senior season.
“Toward the end of last season I really got my confidence up,” he explained. “So coming into this year I have a lot of confidence and I’ve got to lead the young bulls out here to get better…I have a big role to fill this year so that’s what I’ve got to do.”
This spring, Green capped off an exciting 2015-16 school year with success on the track. He took first place in the division I 110 hurdles and his 4×100 relay team took first as well.
“It was great to do it with my friends, my boys, the people you grind with,” he said. “It was great to win with them.”
Success and great film from his junior season and now showing the skill-set and intangibles during spring evaluation period, Green has seen his recruitment pick up in a big way now holding division I scholarship offers which include Boise State, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon State and South Dakota State
“Just getting better on the field and my agility on the field, speed and picking up weight,” Green stated on what coaches at the next level want to see in him. “So that’s what I’ve got to get better at.”
