Advertisement
football Edit

Michigan Wolverines Football: Karan Higdon Settling Into Lead Back Role

Don't miss out on any of our exclusive football, basketball and recruiting coverage. Click here to get your 30-day free trial!

Senior running back Karan Higdon carried the ball 30 times against Northwestern.
Senior running back Karan Higdon carried the ball 30 times against Northwestern. (Brandon Brown)
Advertisement

The ice bath and the massage table have become senior running back Karan Higdon’s best friend.

Hit after hit, Higdon’s body took a beating in Michigan’s 20-17 victory over Northwestern. Each time, he bounced back and provided a steady presence for Michigan’s offense.

Against the Wildcats, Higdon racked up a career-high 30 carries, yet was still fresh when the game was on the line. The heavy workload was nothing different for Higdon.

“I do a good job of preparing my body for games like this throughout the week,” Higdon said. “So, whenever it happens, I feel fine.”

It wasn’t an explosive performance from Higdon. He only had two rushes longer than 10 yards and averaged just 3.8 yards per attempt. Yet, Higdon provided the Wolverines with a consistent presence in the backfield.

He’s someone the coaching staff can lean on because of how dependable he is.

“Higdon can execute an assortment of runs,” Michigan coach Jim Harbuagh said. “He can pass protect and we have a high level of trust with him, including ball security."

Higdon isn't feeling any ill effects after that performance. Heading into the game, Higdon didn’t know he was about to carry the ball 30 times, but he said he was prepared for whenever his name was called.

One of the biggest areas of growth for Higdon this season has been in his ability to finish runs through contact.

“The extra yardage and yardage after contact is the biggest improvement from Higdon,” Harbaugh said. “He's building on his ability to catch the ball and turn a four-yard gain into a seven or eight-yard gain. He can make people miss.”

Higdon credited his improvement in this area with a higher level of strength he gained in the offseason. With the strength and conditioning program, Higdon focused on quicker burst and twitchy lifts for fast responses. In the offseason, he worked heavily on explosive moments.

The extra 15 pounds has helped him fight through contact.

“Credit to the strength staff,” Higdon said. “Getting a lot bigger this offseason. More muscle mass. More weight prepared my body to take a lot more hits. Last year, I ran the same way. I ran hard, angry. Doing the same thing this year, I’m just a little heavier.”

Since last season, Higdon has gained around 15 pounds.

The extra weight has been helpful since he has become the main running back with junior running back Chris Evans out due an injury.

“Each game and every game I have to attack it to do my job," Higdon said. "I really don’t worry about anyone else."

No matter how many carries Higdon gets, he’s prepared. He said he never knows how many carries he’s going to get in a given week and is ready for whatever is given to him. However, he’s liked getting the extra carries like any back would. He gets better with more carries.

“I’ve always been that type of player that gets stronger as the game goes on,” Higdon said. “So whenever I’m getting more carries, I’m getting hotter and hotter.”

---

• 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

Advertisement