[jwplayer 0XEeSGKa-XNcErKyb]
ORLANDO, Fla. — It’s a little premature to fully call Michigan’s running backs a position of strength, but it’s getting awfully close.
The Wolverines finished the regular season 81st in rushing, but there were multiple games where Michigan didn’t even attempt to run the ball, essentially, while in others, that’s all it did. There were three games where there were less than 30 attempts, and six with more than 40.
But Michigan proved that when it really wanted or needed to, it generally could run, particularly later in the season, as exemplified in the Notre Dame game, when the maize and blue put up 303 yards rushing.
It’s something to build on, and as of this moment, the team returns everyone in that room. Not only that, it adds Chris Evans back into the fold.
It has the look of being an embarrassment of riches, something redshirt freshman tailback Hassan Haskins acknowledged on Sunday evening.
“We’re gonna have a real nice backfield next year,” Haskins said. “We’re getting ready for that. It’ll be fun.”
Considering that both true freshman Zach Charbonnet and Haskins are finishing their first year of production, it really seems to be the start of something. Christian Turner continues to battle injury, so he’s a potential unknown at this moment, but they still have Tru Wilson as well, who’s shown to be more than capable.
There’s a growing level of confidence in this group, especially considering everyone Michigan will be utilizing has shown they can perform at a high level.
“We’ve got so many good running backs,” Haskins said. “Whoever you put on the field is gonna do our thing.”
The Wolverines won’t just have the aforementioned, though.
Michigan adds Blake Corum, the four-star from Baltimore (MD) St. Frances Academy, next month, and Corum already has gotten some work in, having participated in three practices with the team last weekend.
Haskins shared his first impressions of Corum having worked with him, and said he’s a little meek at the moment — understandable considering he should be in high school right now.
“I like him! He’s a real nice kid,” Haskins said. “He didn’t say much, because he’s not used to it back there (at the college level). But he’s a real cool kid.”
But what were his impressions as far as Corum as a player? Haskins is confident that he’s going to add something to the already emerging group.
“I feel like he’s gonna be a real good player, for sure,” Haskins said. “I feel like he’s gonna get a hang of it real fast.”