One day after saying he thought running back Venric Mark would play Saturday against Ohio State, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said Tuesday that Mark would play.
Mark (5-feet-8, 175 pounds) has played in just one game because of what the school calls a lower leg injury, but he practiced Tuesday at running back and on punt returns.
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"It's a heck of a free-agent pickup," Fitzgerald told reporters. "You get an All-American back four games into the season."
Mark has big-play ability and rushed for 1,366 yards and 12 TDs last season. Mark, who has three return touchdowns (two on punts, one on kickoffs) in his career, also is a capable receiver.
He told reporters Tuesday that he was injured during fall camp, then reaggravated the injury in the opener against California.
Junior Treyvon Green and senior Mike Trumpy have received the majority of the carries in Mark's place. Green is averaging 101.0 yards per game and has scored five TDs. Trumpy is averaging 50.8 yards and has scored twice. Starting quarterback Kain Colter also is a good runner.
Northwestern is averaging 41.3 points and 483.3 yards per game, and Ohio State has struggled against the pass. But the Buckeyes' rush defense has been strong, with three foes held under 75 yards and no one rushing for more than 132.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
