BOCA RATON, Fla. - Repeat after me: Hyleck Foster, starting tailback this coming Saturday.
OK, calm down. Just seeing if you were awake.
Then again, I thought the MU coaching staff was just making sure the media was awake when they sent the former heir apparent to 300-catch receiver Tommy Shuler to the backfield. Position changes are greeted with a skeptical eye.
Then again, I remember thinking the move of Devon Johnson to the backfield last season was an experiment. The thought didn't last past the first day of full-pads workouts, but it was there.
The one thing about the running back position is this: While it's a bit more complicated at the college level with blitz pick-ups, etc., a lot of recruits come to college as high school running backs.
Johnson was one in Richlands, Virginia. Foster ran wild in Gaffney, South Carolina.
The big question about Foster was his ability to hang onto the football. The last time he touched the ball in any capacity came on the opening kickoff of the Old Dominion game, when he caught a short kick and fumbled it away to the Monarchs.
The rest of that game and the Southern Mississippi game, Foster's No. 2 jersey was tucked away on the sidelines, all but out of sight.
This is one of those moments that gets a college athlete rethinking everything. Put yourself in Foster's place: You had a good spring and your starting spot was yours to lose, but you lost it.
And now you're just plain lost.
"He got down on himself and the older guys old him, 'Be patient. God always has a plan,' " said Deandre Reaves, who overtook Foster in the slot. "We was like, 'You know, you're right.' Tuesday in practice, he attacked that day, had a heck of a day on Wednesday.
"Thursday, he got his mind right and today, he came out and, when his number was called, he made the plays. It was big for us; we needed that, and I'm happy for him."
When Foster delivered a 66-yard scoring run in the third quarter, he sent a message that he can thrive as the Herd's much-needed fifth back. Or fourth back - he did enter the Florida Atlantic game ahead of freshman Keion Davis, didn't he?
It's a tough time in the Herd backfield. That starts with Johnson, who looked 100 percent and more with his 75-yard scoring run that opened the game. That was not a slow FAU secondary he outran.
But he was done by his third carry. I'm not a expert, but I'm afraid his back problem will keep him from a full dose of work for the rest of the season.
Remi Watson left the game early and Tony Pittman hasn't dressed for the last two games. So when the Thundering Herd takes on North Texas at 3:30 p.m. Saturday for homecoming, will it be with Foster, Davis and an emergency-use-only Johnson available?
I mean, how far you do push a recovery with the Not-Very-Mean Green coming to town?
Hey, No. 2 really could be the starting back Saturday. Add that to the list of things you didn't think about in early August.
n Let's see ... It seemed that for several weeks, quarterback Chase Litton and the Herd line talked about looking up and seeing seven, eight men in the box. Defenses were daring the freshman to beat them through the air.
But FAU, I'm not sure what they heck those coaches were thinking. Put it this way: When Litton prepared to take his first snap, he didn't have much of a decision to make - pick the basic "Rock Up the Middle" option, execute the handoff and watch.
"We knew they gave us a 'small box,' " Litton said. "They only had five in the box, so five [blockers] plus 'Rock,' that's six over five. Ocie [Rose], No. 1, he would have to come into the box and stop the run.
"So preplay, I'm thinking I've got to read him, and he stayed out to be on the slot [receiver], and I knew when I handed off I knew it was going to be six."
That play and others had FAU coach Charlie Partridge scratching his head a little. I guess he thought he was getting an off-year from defending a typical Herd offense.
"That are good at what they do. They spread you out," Partridge said. "We had a D-lineman that got out of 'A' gap. When you are that spread out, if you have a D-lineman out of 'A' gap, [Johnson was great]. They showed a look that we hadn't seen that got him out of his gap."
And Litton couldn't resist the jabs he often throws Johnson's way. Johnson isn't slow and he is one of those powerful "downhill runners," but NFL scouts will say he "doesn't possess top-end speed." Litton just jokes that Johnson isn't fleet afoot.
"It was about a 30-second run; Rock's pretty slow," Litton joked. "I'm looking at him like, 'He still hasn't scored yet?' Guy must have been hurting before the game, too."
n Kudos to whomever captured and posted the postgame handshake, if you could call it that, between MU coach Doc Holliday and Partridge.
One thing about my role: In the old days, I would have been on the field at the end of a noon game. Nowadays, we put a story up on the wvgazettemail.com website as soon as possible - by that, I mean within seconds - after the clock hits 0:00.
I'm not sure how deep this runs, but I know Holliday was not impressed the FAU's red-circle treatment of this game. But I am thinking that any tension between the two comes from the recruiting trail.
Partridge is a south Florida native who has recruited the area for Iowa State, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin and Arkansas. Holliday's recruiting credentials in the talent-loaded area need no further explanation.
And not to forget this: When Carl Pelini's tenure collapsed for off-the-field reasons, FAU did express interest in Holliday.
Not sure what all is what, but I bet there's a personal rivalry at play.
To be continued ...