At the Best of the Midwest camp on Sunday at Grand Valley State University, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was asked about the state of the running backs.
It's clear that senior Karan Higdon and junior Chris Evans will carry the majority of the workload, but in his time at Michigan, Harbaugh has shown he likes to have three running backs he can count on.
Last season, that was Ty Isaac, who had 548 yards and two touchdowns on 88 attempts. In 2016, both Isaac and Higdon were used extensively as third and fourth options, combining to total 842 yards and 11 touchdowns. De'Veon Smith and Evans were the two lead backs that fall.
During Harbaugh's first year, six different players had 30 or more carries, one being quarterback Jake Rudock, leaving five backfield members to share the load. Smith was the lead dog, garnering 180 carries, but the other four were split pretty evenly.
This fall, there's a big question mark at the third running back spot. Behind Higdon and Evans, there's not a scholarship player that jumps out.
According to Harbaugh, it's walk-on junior Tru Wilson that has the third position on the depth chart right now.
"The best were Chris Evans and Karan Higdon, and Tru Wilson," Harbaugh said. "Those three did really well."
He went on to also mention walk-on fifth-year senior Joe Hewlett and sophomore O'Maury Samuels, but did not bring up redshirt sophomore Kareem Walker or redshirt freshman Kurt Taylor.
Harbaugh noted that several things have stood out about Wilson.
"Just his talent, his effort," Harbaugh said. "Improved in all areas. Running the football. Protection. Carrying. He's done a real nice job training.
"And he's producing on the field — all 15 practices."
The former Warren De La Salle athlete is listed at 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds. He's played in five career games at U-M and has one carry for one yard.
In addition to the guys currently on the roster, he will compete with incoming freshmen running backs Christian Turner and Hassan Haskins, both listed as three-star recruits.
Harbaugh seems to have held Wilson is high esteem all spring. Back at the beginning of April, he also mentioned on his podcast that Wilson had look good in spring ball and was the team's No. 3 guy.
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