Diamond Hogs land commitment from Peyton Stovall’s alma mater

Christian Turner is set to arrive to Arkansas in the fall of 2025.

When Peyton Stovall arrived from Haughton High School in Louisiana, he was one of the highest-rated recruits to make it to campus in recent years.

Now, by the time he’s left Fayetteville, he will have an HHS alum stepping into his shoes.

Christian Turner, who will be in the Class of 2025, committed to play his college baseball for Arkansas late last week. The 6-foot, 160-pound outfielder had drawn interest from Arkansas’ SEC rival LSU.

Instead, after Turner attended a Diamond Hogs baseball camp on August 13, Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn offered him a scholarship. Shortly thereafter, Turner was in the fold.

The junior hit six home runs with 38 RBI last year for Haughton. This fall, he’s expected to be the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback.

Stovall is set to head into his junior season at Arkansas. He hit .253 as a sophomore with five home runs from second base.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

Former Michigan football RB transfers back into Big Ten East

The one-time Wolverine is heading to Indiana via the NCAA transfer portal.

His tenure in Ann Arbor never really took off despite lavish practice reports. He gave it a go in the ACC, but Christian Turner is back in the Big Ten.

A member of the 2018 recruiting class who hailed from Buford (Georgia), Turner was set to take off with a starring role in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl that same year. After ripping off a long run early in the game, the play was called back because his toe stepped out of bounds.

In 2019, he had 44 carries for 171 yards and a touchdown, but was playing behind Zach Charbonnet, Hassan Haskins and Tru Wilson at the running back position. He opted to transfer to Wake Forest that offseason, and carried for just north of 1,000 total yards and 12 touchdowns in those two years.

However, he appears to be on the move again, announcing he’s transferring to Indiana.

While in a somewhat circuitous route, Turner’s pledge to the Hoosiers certainly makes up for two IU players heading to Ann Arbor in the transfer portal: tight end AJ Barner and quarterback Jack Tuttle.

Turner will return to Ann Arbor in a different uniform. Indiana plays at Michigan on Oct. 14.

[lawrence-related id=67476,67465,67461]

Michigan RB selects transfer destination

After a Michigan football career stunted by injury, former running back Christian Turner is headed to Wake Forest.

[jwplayer r9nHFjUq-XNcErKyb]
Michigan football has as loaded as a running backs room as any program in the country. But, it officially got a little thinner on Monday.

originally, Georgia native Christian Turner had opted out of the 2020 season, just hours before the Big Ten had canceled the upcoming slate. However, not long after the conference reinstated the season, Turner opted back in. But, he never got to see time on the field.

He announced, after the culmination of the season, that he would be moving on to seek a role elsewhere, having entered the NCAA transfer portal. Now we know where he is headed, as he announced via Twitter that he is committing to Wake Forest.

Turner never became the household name that he was expected to be after arriving in Ann Arbor. Spoken of highly heading into the 2018 bowl season, he showed some of his speed against Florida, but the rest of his career at Michigan was marred by injury.

Michigan still has a loaded running backs room, highlighted by Zack Charbonnet, Hassan Haskins, Blake Corum, as well as incoming freshmen Donovan Edwards.

Michigan RB to enter NCAA transfer portal

A loaded Michigan football running backs room got a little less loaded on Saturday.

[jwplayer WSsPOnqN-XNcErKyb]

Michigan football’s loaded running backs room got a little less loaded on Saturday.

With the 2020 season now over for the Wolverines, it’s the time when players start reevaluating their options. For one player who initially opted out of the season, it looks as if he’s put on a winged helmet for the last time.

Christian Turner was a three-star tailback out of Georgia. Big things were expected of him, especially nearing the end of his freshman campaign, when he was the first off the bench in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl against Florida. However, an injury in 2019 precluded much production, and he initially chose to sit out in 2020, before ultimately deciding to come back into the fold. However, he never saw the field in the six-game season.

Now, he announced on Twitter, he’ll look at different options, as he’s entering the NCAA transfer portal.

[lawrence-related id=31773]

Michigan already has a strong three-headed monster heading into 2021 in Hassan Haskins, Zach Charbonnet and Blake Corum. However, it got even deeper with the signings of elite RB Donovan Edwards — the highest-rated back Michigan has signed in the recruiting rankings era — and Del Valle (TX) back Tavierre Dunlap.

[listicle id=31761]

Michigan RB to enter NCAA transfer portal

A loaded Michigan football running backs room got a little less loaded on Saturday.

[jwplayer WSsPOnqN-XNcErKyb]

Michigan football’s loaded running backs room got a little less loaded on Saturday.

With the 2020 season now over for the Wolverines, it’s the time when players start reevaluating their options. For one player who initially opted out of the season, it looks as if he’s put on a winged helmet for the last time.

Christian Turner was a three-star tailback out of Georgia. Big things were expected of him, especially nearing the end of his freshman campaign, when he was the first off the bench in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl against Florida. However, an injury in 2019 precluded much production, and he initially chose to sit out in 2020, before ultimately deciding to come back into the fold. However, he never saw the field in the six-game season.

Now, he announced on Twitter, he’ll look at different options, as he’s entering the NCAA transfer portal.

[lawrence-related id=31773]

Michigan already has a strong three-headed monster heading into 2021 in Hassan Haskins, Zach Charbonnet and Blake Corum. However, it got even deeper with the signings of elite RB Donovan Edwards — the highest-rated back Michigan has signed in the recruiting rankings era — and Del Valle (TX) back Tavierre Dunlap.

[listicle id=31761]

Michigan RB opts back in for 2020 season

Michigan football’s loaded running backs room got a little bit more loaded.

[jwplayer 616QbX0U-XNcErKyb]

Michigan’s loaded running backs room just got a little more log jammed — which is something of a quality problem.

With returning co-starters Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins both fully healthy now, the former heir apparent and recent backup Chris Evans back after a year-long suspension and true freshman speedster Blake Corum in the mix, it seems that the Wolverines have one of their best situations in years. And now, it’s getting even better.

On Aug. 11, just hours before the Big Ten announced that it was postponing the fall season, third-year tailback Christian Turner announced that he would be sitting out in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Saturday, however, it appears that Turner is back in the fold, as first reported by Maize n Brew and MLive’s Aaron McMann.

Michigan football’s already deep running back room is deeper than expected, as Christian Turner has opted back into the 2020 season, U-M spokesperson David Ablauf confirmed with Maize n Brew Saturday morning..

The 5-foot-11, 203-pound redshirt sophomore opted out of the 2020 season back in August, becoming the first U-M player to do so due to the pandemic. But he has since deleted his announcement on Twitter and is back with the team as of last month.

RELATED: ESPN predicts the Michigan football 2020 schedule game-by-game

RELATED: Ranking Michigan football’s 2020 schedule by difficulty

Back in May, Michigan running backs coach Jay Harbaugh shared what Turner brings to the table, nothing that he also had some health issues, but is now similarly fully healthy and could be a boon to the running backs rotation.

“Yeah, CT is ready to roll,” Harbaugh said. “He’s healthy, we’re super excited about it. Just love him, love everything he’s about. He’s worked his butt off to get back and be healthy. It’s a bummer that he wasn’t able to get the rust off in spring. But he’s done a great job of getting ready. Going into the season, I’m just excited for him to be able to get on the field and do what he loves to do. Absolutely loves to play football. I’m absolutely dying to see him out there and doing what he loves to do. And impacting on special teams and as a running back, continuing to improve his feel, his patience, his footwork in the backfield. Really all the little things are going to let him harness all that explosiveness that he has. Like I said, I can’t wait to see it.”

Additionally, Jim Harbaugh has tended to sing the praises of walk-on RB Lucas Andrighetto, who was lost before the 2018 season due to an ACL injury. However, he’s also fully healthy and has made an impression on the Wolverines head coach in practice this offseason.

[vertical-gallery id=28134]

Michigan ‘can’t wait to see’ Christian Turner’s emergence in 2020

The Wolverines running backs coach sees big things in store for a tailback not many are talking about.

[jwplayer 2yXKJkC7-XNcErKyb]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — With Michigan’s running backs situation being one of strong positional depth, there’s a lot of reasons for enthusiasm going into the 2020 season.

Co-starters a year ago, Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins return with a year of experience under their belt, Chris Evans — would would have been the presumptive starter a year ago — comes back from a one-year academic suspension while true freshman Blake Corum appears to be poised to see the field in year one.

But one player often gets lost in the mix: third-year tailback Christian Turner.

Turner was the talk of the program heading into the 2018 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl with starter Karan Higdon sitting out. The staff and his teammates waxed poetic about how elusive of a runner he is and how much he was showing in practice.

We got a glimpse of that on his first carry, a long rumble to the endzone, but with a toe stepping out of bounds, that long run was significantly shortened.

However, in 2019, we only saw Turner in small doses. It was revealed this offseason that he was encumbered by injuries, which precluded him from seeing the field as often as many anticipated. But now, he’s healthy, and his position coach in Jay Harbaugh says he’ll be good to go this year.

“Yeah, CT is ready to roll,” Harbaugh said. “He’s healthy, we’re super excited about it. Just love him, love everything he’s about. He’s worked his butt off to get back and be healthy. It’s a bummer that he wasn’t able to get the rust off in spring. But he’s done a great job of getting ready.”

But what kind of back will he be?

Not every runner is the same, which leaves room for him to be able to get on the field and get carries. He certainly will, if you listen to Harbaugh, who praised his love of the game, and his ability now that he’s healthy.

From what he says, we can expect to see him both in the backfield as well as on special teams. And in that regard, Harbaugh’s excitement is palpable as to the possibilities.

“Going into the season, I’m just excited for him to be able to get on the field and do what he loves to do,” Harbaugh said. “Absolutely loves to play football. I’m absolutely dying to see him out there and doing what he loves to do. And impacting on special teams and as a running back, continuing to improve his feel, his patience, his footwork in the backfield. Really all the little things are going to let him harness all that explosiveness that he has. Like I said, I can’t wait to see it.”

[vertical-gallery id=24009]

Jay Harbaugh breaks down Michigan’s RB room at great length

A thorough breakdown of what each of the Wolverines RB are best at, where they are in their development and how they’ll be utilized in 2020.

[jwplayer lYKJBe0O-XNcErKyb]

Michigan has something of an embarrassment of riches in its running backs room.

While there isn’t one breakout player as of current, a feature back, the Wolverines enter 2020 with four-to-five guys who can be difference-makers any give Saturday.

In 2019, we saw significant production from both Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet, as they combined for 1,348 yards on the ground and 15 rushing touchdowns to go along with 14 receptions for 70 yards through the air. But back in the mix is Chris Evans, a redshirt senior who missed last season with suspension. In his three years of play, Evans has 304 carries for 1,722 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns as well as 40 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

That’s not even mentioning third-year tailback Christian Turner, who was sidelined with injury throughout much of his time in Ann Arbor, and early-enrollee Blake Corum, the four-star from Baltimore who has the potential to be a star-player in his own right.

Managing a loaded room

Speaking with Jon Jansen on his weekly In the Trenches podcast, Michigan running backs coach Jay Harbaugh is excited about having such a loaded room, with so many potential contributors.

He shares how the competition will play a big role and how it should enhance the position come fall.

“The big thing right now – not that it’s super different from last year or the year before – but tremendous competition,” Harbaugh said. “You have guys now that are coming back that have played. Three guys that have really played substantial snaps and a really talented incoming freshman. So you have a group that’s highly capable. There’s gonna be great competition.

“And it’s exciting as a coach, because they all love to get after it. They love football, they love the team, they play a selfish position unselfishly. They help each other out. They really bring out the best in each other and we put together a good spring with that kind of mindset and same through summer and fall camp, I think the result will be really special.”

One of the big things about having five running backs each with a unique skillset is the possibility of getting multiple on the field at the same time.

Since he arrived last January, offensive coordinator Josh Gattis spoke at length about putting the defense in conflict. With five players with myriad abilities, it’s possible that we see multiple backs on the field at the same time in 2020, Harbaugh says.

“Yeah, that’s something we did a little bit, and Coach Gattis’ background, he’s been around some of that and done some of that,” Harbaugh said. “So we would love to do it. To do that, you have to have the guys, like you’re saying, that create that type of confusion, they create that conflict. I think that we do. So it would be good to get involved with that in spring. Selfishly, as the running back coach, you love having your guys out there. I’m sure, if you could play with seven linemen, you would love to do that! I think it’s something if it helps us win, if Coach Gattis sees it as a way for us to score points, then we’ll be ready for it.”

From there, Harbaugh spoke at length about each different tailback, what they bring to the table, where they’re at in their development, and how they all fit into the grand scheme of the offense.

Starting with returning senior Chris Evans.

Read about Evans’ return on the next page.