He ran for 4,232 yards on 469 carries in high school, averaging nine yards a touch and a touchdown every nine chances.

He received a Parade Magazine All-America selection as a senior at Heard County High School in Georgia and then enrolled early at Michigan, with his speed the talk of spring practice.

He was considered the fifth-best running back in the nation by Rivals.com and Scout.com, a few spots behind former Ohio State running back Chris "Beanie" Wells and a bit ahead of former Georgia Bulldog Knowshon Moreno, both first-round NFL draft picks.

He was supposed to be the next Michigan star running back.

But after three seasons and one game, senior Carlos Brown has carried the ball just 130 times for 599 yards and four touchdowns. He is known for two things: fleeting moments of brilliance and being constantly hampered by injuries.

His first season-opening start in four years was last Saturday against Western Michigan.

“It felt great,” Brown said about starting the season healthy. “I’m just hoping that it continues injury-free all year, hopefully.”

That game — where he ran for 54 yards on 10-carries — was a great display of what the Wolverine coaching staff wants out of Brown this season. He made second downs manageable with his positive-yard gains, and Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez praised Brown's pass protecting. Most importantly, he stayed healthy in the absence of injured senior running back Brandon Minor.

Though he didn’t have the typical long, breakaway run that's become his M.O., Brown played much more consistently when carrying the ball than in the past.

So far, it seems like the doors are open for Brown to have the season he’s always been meant to have. His next big opportunity to shine is this weekend with Minor’s ankle still not 100 percent and a relatively weak Notre Dame run defense. Last week against the Irish, Nevada running back Vai Taua posted 114 yards on 18 carries.

Brown will have the chance to put together solid back-to-back games for the first time in a couple years. Last season, a wrist problem and then an ankle injury limited his playing time.

He was in the spotlight for just 60 minutes, and that was in the Wolverines' last home game of the season against Northwestern. He rushed for 119 yards and earned his only start of the season the next week against Ohio State, during which he proceeded to run for three yards on three chances.

“It was very frustrating, because it was something like I don’t have control, you know?” Brown said. “I came in here everyday, got treatments, just trying to get back as soon as possible. But it’s a whole lot better to be out there with the team and be able to contribute.

“It’s not like I just go and trip over stuff and try to fall, you know?”

For Brown to continue to get significant playing time even after Minor returns from injury, he will have to play like he did in 2007. That season, with former Wolverine Mike Hart and Minor sidelined, Brown took over in the second half of the Purdue game, rushing for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

The next two weeks, he put up 113 yards on a stingy Illinois defense that hadn’t let a running back gain 100 yards in a game all season, and then 132 yards and two more touchdowns against Minnesota.

Brown says he’s happy as long as the offense is clicking, but Michigan fans will only be happy if Brown can stay healthy and redeem a career that has seemingly slipped away.