Tag: Chris Evans

Hassan Haskins confident in emerging RB group

The Wolverines return all of their tailbacks while adding two more to the fold next year.

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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.”

Jay Harbaugh reacts to Chris Evans’ reinstatement

The Wolverines RB coach shares his thoughts on his senior running back’s eligibility to return next year.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. —  It was big news two weeks ago, when it came down the pipeline: Wolverines running back Chris Evans won his appeal to return to the University of Michigan in Winter 2020, and thus will rejoin the football team this upcoming offseason.

Expected to be the starter this past year, with Karan Higdon graduating, it was something of a hit to the rotation, as the younger players had to step up in his absence.

They’ve done just that, as both Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet have eclipsed Evans’ production last year, but both still have some ways to go in the final three games to hit the numbers the 2016 class recruit managed in 2016-17.

Asked on Wednesday about getting Evans back next year, running backs coach Jay Harbaugh didn’t have a visceral reaction, nor did he have much knowledge on how Evans feels about getting the opportunity to wear the winged helmet again.

Nonetheless, he’s excited to have him rejoin the fold next season.

“I’m not sure, I couldn’t tell you what it was like for him – probably better for him to,” Harbaugh said. “I was excited. I was excited for him. Anybody who loves to play the game, a guy that loves football like him, it was – I know for me or most other guys, it would be tough to be away from the game. I was just excited for him to get back to what he loves to do. I briefly spoke with him a handful of times since then, just checking on him, seeing how he’s doing and where his head’s at with everything. I know he’s excited to get back more involved.”

When Evans returns, he’ll join a crowded RB room, as all contributors — starters Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet and backup Christian Turner all have three years of eligibility after 2019 — while Tru Wilson, a senior, is believed to have one more season of eligibility remaining.

Evans has one more year of eligibility remaining, as he has not been a part of the team this current season.

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Chris Evans ‘stayed focused’ in working towards reinstatement

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – As his roommate, Michigan VIPER Khaleke Hudson had a front row seat to everything that happened surrounding running back Chris Evans. The would-be senior tailback was set to be the leading rusher now that Karan Higdon had …

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — As his roommate, Michigan VIPER Khaleke Hudson had a front row seat to everything that happened surrounding running back Chris Evans.

The would-be senior tailback was set to be the leading rusher now that Karan Higdon had graduated, but his plans were derailed due to an academic issue this past winter, which saw him leave the team while his future at the University of Michigan was in question.

While Evans remained confident over the summer, as he coached in his CE Stars 12 7-on-7 youth camps, that he would be able to rejoin the team, behind closed doors, there wasn’t as much rampant optimism. So, it was something of a surprise this week when Evans posted that he was able to rejoin the team, which was confirmed by head coach Jim Harbaugh on Monday.

Though his playing time with Evans is done, as Hudson graduates after this season, he was thrilled for his roommate once he got the news that he could suit up one last time for the maize and blue.

“I was super happy,” Hudson said. “Actually, knew before he even put it out there, because I stay with him. I was just telling him I’m proud of him, how he handled everything. How he stayed strong and how he kept his head. Because other players could really get frustrated with themselves, get out here and start doing anything, some crazy stuff. But he stayed focused, and he just did what he had to do.

“I’m just so proud of him and happy he’s back – working out and stuff. It’s just a good thing to see.”

Evans doesn’t get to rejoin the team just yet, as his suspension lasts until the end of the 2019 season. But, come January, once the 2020 Winter semester starts, he’ll be eligible to suit back up in a winged helmet.

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How Chris Evans return to Michigan adds explosiveness to backfield

Michigan football will have running back Chris Evans return to action next year, how will his explosiveness change the backfield?

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Back in February of this year, Michigan football simply announced that running back Chris Evans was “not a member of the football team at this time.” Evans would later post on Twitter that he was going through some academic issues and would continue his career at Michigan.

In July, there wouldn’t be any changes and he would be suspended for the entire 2019 season, as he would explain on Twitter that he was no longer enrolled in the university. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said the decision was made by the university, not the football team. Also that Evans had a chance to rejoin the team in the spring, but that wasn’t able to get resolved by then. Evans said the situation was “an academic mistake. Not my grades. I’m on pace to graduate.”

Since then we haven’t heard much about Evans, until last week.

Evans posted this on Twitter, hinting at his return to the field in Ann Arbor in 2020.

That talk continued today, as Harbaugh spoke to the media and addressed the Evans situation.

“Chris will be reinstated for the winter term,” Harbaugh said. “When he gets back in school he will be able to participate fully in football again. My knowledge of the situation is that he had a productive meeting to see if he could be reinstated back into school and my understanding that he will be for the winter term. We’ll welcome him back to the football team.”

The winter term begins in January, and no that doesn’t mean that if Michigan plays in a bowl game in January that he will be on the team. Michigan doesn’t start their winter academic term until Monday, January 8.

What does this do for the 2020 running back room? Only make it better. Evans was looked at as a possible starter heading into his senior year this year with running back Karan Higdon graduating and the other being underclassmen or freshman and not having much playing time.

The Wolverines have missed Evans speed in the backfield, and his ability to be a shifty receiving back as well. The running game has been fine without him though, as Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet have stepped up big this season.

Haskins has 72 carries for 426 yards and two touchdowns, while Charbonnet has 117 carries for 559 yards and 11 touchdowns. While they have been able to score and get some nice carries, the receiving aspect hasn’t been the same without Evans. Haskins and Charbonnet have a combined 11 catches for 39 yards.

In his three years at Michigan, Evans has a total of 304 carries for 1,722 yards for 14 touchdowns, along with 40 catches for 392 yards and two touchdowns. Evans saw an increased workload after his freshman year in 2016 and was seen as a threat on the ground with his speed, and as a receiver.

In 2020, Haskins and Charbonnet will return and with the addition of Evans means the Wolverines will have a nasty trio in the backfield. The elusive back in Charbonnet, the bruiser in Haskins, and the speed and receiving back in Evans.

Another year learning the playbook will be huge for the younger guys. Having Evans being used as a weapon in the passing game can help the spread offense out as the Wolverines haven’t used the running back much as a receiving threat this season. Evans returning will be a big shot in the arm to the backfield next year, and something everyone will be talking about heading into the 2020 season.

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