Throwback Thursday: 2012 Running Backs

If you have followed me over the years, you might know that I like to look back at past recruiting classes. Not only do I think it's fun to remember the days of yore, but I also think it helps keep current recruiting classes in perspective. It reminds us that not all 5-stars pan out, some 3-stars turn out to be really good, and frequently the depth chart doesn't shake out how anyone expects.

Since Michigan skipped out on taking a quarterback in the 2012 class - after all, they had a commitment from the second coming of Rick Leach in Shane Morris - we will start with a look at the running backs. This should serve as a good reminder that while Michigan fans get riled up about every single recruit either committing to Michigan or elsewhere, the vast majority of them fade away into relative anonymity.

Salt Lake City (UT) Highland fullback/running back Sione Houma was a regional recruit when Michigan landed him in late July of 2011. His other biggest offers were from Utah, Utah State, and Washington, but Michigan swooped in from the midwest.

Houma contributed immediately at Michigan, playing in all thirteen games as a freshman. He would go on to play 39 games and start seven of them at fullback. His career really took off when Jim Harbaugh was hired in 2015; Houma notched his first career carry that season and finished with 43 rushes for 184 yards and 1 touchdown.

After going undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft, Houma's career ended with a brief preseason stint with the New Orleans Saints.

Drake Johnson was a standout local track athlete whom the Wolverines offered at the end of his senior football season. Eastern Michigan was the only other FBS program to offer.

Johnson redshirted in 2012 and then served as a backup for the next three seasons. Altogether, he made 116 career rushing attempts for 641 yards and 8 touchdowns, adding in 7 catches for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns. His best season was as a backup to De'Veon Smith in 2014 when he averaged 6.0 yards per carry and scored 2 touchdowns in games against Indiana and Ohio State.

Unfortunately, Johnson's football career at Michigan ended after a freak accident on campus, but he continued to run track for the Wolverines in 2016 and 2017.

On the eve of National Signing Day in 2012, Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson decided to extend an offer to Cincinnati running back commit Dennis Norfleet. It was a no-brainer for Norfleet and he flipped to the Wolverines.

While Norfleet never really found his footing at running back (15 career rushing attempts for 130 yards), he did become a mainstay as a returner. Norfleet is #1 all-time at Michigan in kickoff returns (94) and kickoff return yards (2,203). He also returned 15 punts for 90 yards and caught 21 passes for 157 yards. However, he never scored a touchdown in a Michigan uniform.

After playing three seasons at Michigan, Norfleet transferred to Tuskegee for the 2015 season, where he earned the starting running back job. He ran 120 times for 761 yards and 4 touchdowns, caught 12 passes for 180 yards, averaged 21.9 yards on kickoff returns, averaged 10.3 yards on punt returns, and completed 1 halfback pass for a 24-yard touchdown.

Ohio RB Warren Ball (Ohio State)
Maryland RB Wes Brown (Maryland)
Ohio RB Bri'onte Dunn (Ohio State)
Pennsylvania RB Greg Garmon (Iowa)
Pennsylvania RB Drew Harris (Virginia Tech)
Ohio FB Alden Hill (Tennessee)
Wisconsin RB Vonte Jackson (Wisconsin)
Florida RB Matt Jones (Florida)
North Carolina RB Keith Marshall (Georgia)
Tennessee RB I'Tavius Mathers (Ole Miss)
Indiana RB David Perkins (Ohio State)
Texas FB Dominic Ramacher (Oklahoma State)
Oklahoma RB Donovan Roberts (Arkansas)
Texas RB Jonathan Williams (Arkansas)