Lions coach Jim Caldwell impressed with Theo Riddick
By Jack Crosby
If there has been any one member of the Detroit Lions this season that has been picking up a lot of praise, it’s second-year running back Theo Riddick, who could be poised for some more playing time this season if he keeps it up.
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After rushing the ball just nine times for 25 yards with a touchdown in his rookie season last year, Riddick has continually drawn praise from a lot of his teammates and coaches, and that’s carried over into training camp.
In particular, new head coach Jim Caldwell likes what he sees from the Notre Dame product.
“Before coming here, there are a few guys that jump out at you on film,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “I was watching special teams and every single time on the unit he’s on, he shows up.
“He’s got intensity, he hustles, he’s got desire, toughness, all of those things, and he’s a very, very capable runner. Also, he can catch the ball out of the backfield. [Riddick is] very tough to handle in one-on-one situations, so he had a great spring and we anticipate this fall he’s going to perform equally as well, so we’re excited about that.”
While Reggie Bush and Joique Bell will more than likely carry most of the load out of the backfield, it would be nice to have Riddick jump in and put his skills to use while this team continues to climb back into playoff contention.