How CJ Stokes 'learned the most' from early season fumble

According to CJ Stokes, he doesn't fumble the ball often.

Michigan football's freshman tailback will sacrifice all but a couple of snaps per game in favor of Heisman contender Blake Corum & a national talent in Donovan Edwards.

Coming off of an 8-for-68 performance (8.5 yards per carry) against Nebraska, Stokes' stock -- tongue twister -- is rising, maybe not for the season but undoubtedly for the future.

Although it was uncharacteristic for the South Carolina native, it was the wake-up call he needed when he fumbled his first Big Ten carry against Maryland on September 24

"It was my first Big Ten carry, and I fumbled it, so it was like, it was demoralizing to me. I mean, I just kind of got past it," Stokes told reporters on Tuesday evening inside Schembechler Hall.

Following the fumble, Stokes sat out three subsequent games before notching four carries against Penn State & two against Michigan State.

Before the fumble, he had eight carries in two different games & six in another, clearly featured as U-M's third back.

Now, again in subsequent weeks, Stokes has five & eight carries, respectively, and looks to be back in the role he started the season in.

He thinks the fumble lit a fire.

"(The fumble) really wasn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things -- because I know I don't have fumble troubles, and I never did. So it's a freak thing," he said. "(The fumble) 100% made me better. 100%. The fumble is definitely the best thing that happened to me this season as far as locking me in on everything."

Stokes doesn't believe U-M RB coach Mike Hart put him in the doghouse. He said the coaches wanted to be sure he was mentally ready.

Fresher than ever mentally & physically, Stokes is rising the depth chart again & cementing himself as a future piece of the run-heavy offense.

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