Wolverine Watch: A Big Boost In The Backfield

A position group doesn’t necessarily go from a question mark to an exclamation point in one game. But Michigan’s running backs are much better than many feared — period.

Freshman tailback Zach Charbonnet, redshirt freshman Christian Turner and senior Tru Wilson combined to lead a ground game that piled up 233 yards in the season opener. While excelling against Middle Tennessee State doesn’t automatically foretell greatness, there are aspects of the game you just can’t fake.

Take pass protection, for example. Head coach Jim Harbaugh sounded genuinely amazed that — against a team which blitzed on 82.5 percent of Michigan’s pass plays — his backs never missed a protection.

Get a free 60-day trial to TheWolverine.com with promo code Blue60

They were, in Harbaugh’s description, perfect.

“I’ve got to give Jay Harbaugh credit there, the running backs coach,” the elder Harbaugh offered. “There were five or six that played in the game, and to all be good, all be perfect, is great.

“The backs were all perfect in the ball security — no fumbles, or errors, not going the wrong way. It was a really good group in this game.”