Everyone knew running back would be one of the biggest questions marks on Michigan’s entire team heading into the 2019 campaign, and injuries to the position this spring have only heightened those concerns.
Three of the top guys at the spot — redshirt freshmen Christian Turner and Hassan Haskins, and freshman Zach Charbonnet — have all missed significant time, leaving senior Tru Wilson as the current starter.
Although Wilson received 62 carries last year (for 364 yards) while primarily playing behind Karan Higdon and Chris Evans, he is still viewed by most as more of a role player, and not necessarily an every-down ball carrier.
Running backs coach Jay Harbaugh, however, revealed this evening that Wilson is currently thriving as the team’s starter.
“Tru has handled it well, even though it’s the biggest role he’s ever had,” Harbaugh explained. “The sustained focus and cardio a role like this requires is different, but he’s adjusted to it.
“He’s also playing faster because of how much work he put in in the offseason — it has shown up in perimeter runs and his ability to get vertical. Wilson is now running through arm tackles and has made big plays for us this spring.”
While Wilson is certainly expected to play a role during the 2019 season, most still anticipate one of the younger backs to wind up earning the starting job once the season-opener arrives.
Whether it’s Turner or Charbonnet (or perhaps even Haskins) remains to be seen, but Harbaugh admitted he’s liked what he’s seen from the injured trio these past few weeks.
“I’ve been stressing to them that being out doesn’t mean you have to fall behind,” he noted. “It’s about staying engaged to the point where you’re mentally ready to go in — that’s the standard here. If you approach it like that, you can mitigate some of those concerns.
“It’s natural to think about other things while you’re sitting out, but that leads to trouble and missed information. Zach, Christian and Hassan have all maintained a high level of engagement in terms of learning the offense.
“They can see what’s happening in front of them and have resisted the urge to become a spectator. All three of those guys will be back by the time the season starts, and Christian and Hassan should both be back before the end of spring.
“Charbonnet’s procedure, meanwhile, was expected, and we knew about it for quite some time. Being able to do everything in-house was encouraging, because it allowed us to supervise his recovery. We figured we might as well do it all here and make sure everything goes smoothly.
“Zach will fit in just fine with the rest of the running backs once he comes back. We’re not going to end the spring knowing who our top guy is though, even though we’ll have an idea. They’re all building a body of work of how reliable they can be — it’s a marathon, and the sprints of spring are important, but they all have to be able to sustain it.”
Harbaugh explained that learning first-year offensive coordinator Josh Gattis' system has not only been an adjustment for the players, but for the coaches as well.
He discussed a few of the changes Gattis has made, and how beneficial it has been to work alongside a football mind of his caliber.
“We’re still a run-first team and our runs aren’t that much different,” Harbaugh began. “The players have taken well to how it's being presented to them. There has also been more of an emphasis on screens.
“It’s hard to point to just one thing that has been substantially different [since Gattis arrived]. We as coaches know the basics of his system, because we’ve done pieces of it before. He has seen all the things defenses can do to stop plays, and explains how to counter when defenses defend a certain way.
“It’s been cool to observe that, because we’re learning the way he sees the game and how his thought process of how to attack defenses works.”
Notes
• Michigan has experimented with several players at multiple positions (most notably junior Ben Mason, who is practicing at both running back and defensive line), and Harbaugh noted how beneficial it is for some of these guys to receive reps at more than one spot.
He also touched on how Mason has handled the transition.
"People talk about specialization in sports being a problem, but they don’t talk about how playing one spot is a problem," he said. "If you’re a point guard and you never play off the ball, that could lead to issues.
"Guys who have played both sides in high school have seen such a high level of detail once they get to college. We’re seeing a dangerous path nowadays of players only playing one side of the ball.
“Ben, meanwhile, is a defensive-minded player — he was born to wreak havoc and smash people. He catches the ball so naturally though, and is smooth as a runner. It doesn’t take much work for him to get into a groove offensively.”
• Head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed that senior running back Chris Evans is not currently with the team for unknown reasons earlier this spring, but did leave the door open for a potential return.
“There is no update on him," Jay Harbaugh said tonight. "That’s not something I’m involved in. I’m out of the loop and it’s being left in the appropriate hands, so we’re just waiting to see what they decide.”
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @BSB_Wolverine, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @Balas_Wolverine, @DrewCHallett and @Qb9Adam.
• Like us on Facebook
