Graduate student running back Kalel Mullings led Michigan ball carriers in carries and yards during Saturday night's 30-10 win over Fresno State. Mullings carried the rock 15 times for 92 yards, which was good for 6.1 yards per carry.
Donovan Edwards, meanwhile, ran the ball 11 times for 27 yards, equating to just 2.5 yards per attempt. However, Edwards did catch the first touchdown of the game, so his performance wasn't entirely mediocre.
Mullings showed great effort and determination with his runs, and he was the star of the 7-play, 75-yard drive that put the Wolverines up by two scores over the Bulldogs late in the fourth quarter.
Many observers of the Michigan football team left Saturday's game questioning whether Edwards truly will be the star running back some expected him to be entering the season. Mullings is clearly more reliable running between the tackles, and he's clearly much tougher for opposing teams to tackle than Edwards is.
On Wednesday, running backs coach Tony Alford met with reporters to discuss how Michigan will divvy up carries between the two backs going forward.
"I thought the split was pretty good, but he has earned those carries, and he started earning those carries last spring," Alford said of Mullings. "You know, Kalel has proven to be a very accountable guy, not just within our room but special teams. There's not a coach in this building that doesn't respect what he's doing and has done. He's obviously a team player moving over from defense. So, yeah, he's earned the opportunities he's gotten."
In a summer interview with Edwards, the star senior back admitted to being the 'lightning' in Michigan's offense this season, as he has shown quite a bit in recent games and seasons.
In the 2023 national championship game, Edwards ran for two 40-plus-yard touchdowns in the first quarter. Fans will also remember the 2022 regular-season finale when Edwards ran for touchdowns of 75 and 85 yards in the fourth quarter in Columbus as Michigan beat Ohio State, 45-23.
Edwards struggled last season behind Blake Corum, but this year is a new opportunity for Edwards to showcase his abilities as a home-run threat. In fact, if he keeps up with his tradition of showing out in big-time matchups, it could come as soon as this week against Texas.
Alford discussed Edwards at length on Wednesday.
"Obviously, he has shown in the past to have some big play guys, you said, in games previously. And hopefully those will continue to happen for us. ... The guy's a leader on this football team. He's one of the definite leaders on our offense. He's proven to be able to make plays in this program, as he's done for many games. So we're going to expect the same."
"I think one of the things that can happen with running backs as you move forward is they're always looking for a big play. Let's say you're known for making big plays. So now all of a sudden it's not happening right away. You start trying to overcompensate to make a big play; just stay within the structure of what we're doing, and the big plays will come. But just keep playing the game."
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