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Last season was supposed to be a big year for Michigan running back Chris Evans. With former starting running back Karan Higdon graduating, Evans was poised to be the starter after years of being a backup or getting the start but not having as many carries as the backups. Sadly, Evans had some academic issues and was forced to miss last season, leaving him on the sidelines.
With him sitting out, freshman Zach Charbonnet had to step up, despite missing spring practices with knee surgery. He wasn’t alone as Hassan Haskins was converting from linebacker over to running back. With the lack of experience in the room, Tru Wilson was named the starting running back in July, but that wouldn’t stick to the wall as Charbonnet would start in the season opener against Middle Tennessee State.
Despite the lack of experience in the running back room last year, Michigan had some great success running the ball with their young players.
Charbonnet finished with 726 yards and 11 touchdowns, along with eight catches for 30 yards. Haskins had 622 yards and four touchdowns, along with six catches for 40 yards. Wilson had 221 yards and a touchdown with two catches for 14 yards. A player who was projected to have a big 2019, Christian Turner, only had 171 yards and a touchdown with four catches for 13 yards.
That running back room will look a bit different this year as Wilson transferred to Northern Colorado, and Turner opted out due to COVID-19. With those two departures, in walks two additions who could make this group even more explosive.
Freshman Blake Corum, who could see some serious playing time after getting 1,266 yards for 19 touchdowns and eight catches for 152 yards and three touchdowns during his senior year in high school.
Then the big return of Evans, who brings a different dynamic to the running back room. Charbonnet and Haskins are both fast running backs, but they aren’t your Chris Johnson type of fast running backs either. They both also had under 10 catches last season, as they weren’t used as receivers.
This isn’t to say that Evans is about to run a 4.24 40-yard dash, but Evans certainly has a different type of speed compared to Charbonnet and Haskins. Corum is a fast player as well, but once again he doesn’t have the receiving experience Evans has.
Evans was looked at as a wide receiver to some scouts back in high school, but at Michigan, he has been a running back that not only can outrun a lot of players, but he can make you miss with his quick feet as he jukes and spins around defenders. Oh and he can catch the ball in the backfield too.
In his career, Evans has run for 1,722 yards for 14 touchdowns and has 40 catches for 392 yards and two touchdowns. What can his role be like in the running back room that has two strong and young running backs and an incoming freshman that is also going to fight for playing time as the speedster? Ask offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.
“We did a lot of things that were similar last year with Giles Jackson, all the different alignments that he aligned on the field,” said Gattis. “You got a guy now in Chris Evans who has the ability to take those as actual hand-offs and not just be in the backfield catching routes coming out of the backfield. You’ve got a guy that can do both and that’s exciting.”
Mind you, Jackson is a wide receiver, not a running back. Last season, Jackson had more touches on the ground than through the air, carrying the ball 10 times for 69 yards and a touchdown, and nine catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. Jackson was used on jet sweeps and the like to get around the defense with his quick feet and acceleration.
Evans brings that to the offense and his speed is built for this offense that Gattis likes to run. Not only does he bring the speed on the ground, but he brings it in the receiving game, something the running backs last year had issues with. Michigan needs to have a running back that can go out and catch a ball if needed. Not that Charbonnet and Haskins couldn’t or didn’t but Evans is better than them when it comes to running routes and doing more than just pounding the rock.
What makes him a fun player in the backfield is you never know what he’s going to do. He can get the handoff and turn on the jets to get a big gain, he can catch a pass and make some people miss with his shiftiness, and he can even block to help give the quarterback time to throw.
Evans is an all-around running back, something this offense could really use. Having strong and quick running backs is great and all, but having some versatility in the backfield is what makes your offense more dangerous. This offense is built on speed in space, and adding another type of weapon that can do just that is what can help make this running back core even stronger after an impressive showing in 2019.
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