28 Years of Coaching Michigan, Fred Jackson Sees a First in 5-Star RB Savion Hiter

Fred Jackson has coached some legends at the University of Michigan, but when it comes to Savion Hiter — there is a first.

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Assistant running backs coach Fred Jackson is entering his 28th season coaching the Wolverines. He spent 11 seasons coordinating the offense, but since 1992, he's always worked with the running back position.

Jackson has coached some greats during his time. Tyrone Wheatley, Tshimanga Biakabutuka, Chris Perry, Mike Hart, and Blake Corum — just to name a few.

And even though Jackson helped bring all of those players to Michigan, along with developing them into All-Big Ten running backs, and helping them get to the NFL — Jackson has seen a first in his luxurious 28-year career.

It's freshman Savion Hiter. Appearing on In the Trenches with Jon Jansen, Jackson said Hiter is the most talented player he's seen wearing the maize and blue as a true freshman.

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"I told him this yesterday, I brought in a lot of good football players over the years, but as a freshman, he's probably the most talented guy I've seen that I brought in here," Jackson said. "As a true freshman. He's already beyond what I think a freshman is capable of doing. And the guys that I have history in bringing in, he is such a tremendous competitor, worker, tremendous talent, can run, can catch, can block. I mean, he's got it all at a young age.

"I've had to develop guys to get him there, maybe in his sophomore year, he's there now and that's very unique to me. And I wanted him to know that because he really knows a lot of the guys who played before him here and he understands where they ended up somewhere in the first round, some in the second. However you look at it in the NFL drafts and for me to say that to him, I was just saying it to let him know, son, your expectation level going to be very high here."

Hiter's role on Saturdays

Hiter very well could be in store for an All-Big Ten season, and be in contention to win the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year Award — at least based on expectations. Hiter was the wire-to-wire No. 1 ranked running back in the 2026 class and Kyle Whittingham's staff was able to hold onto him following Sherrone Moore's exit.

Hiter has a good blend of speed and power, and just watching him during the Wolveirnes' spring game, he's more built than any freshman running back I've seen. However, like Jackson told Jansen, Hiter will have to prove he can protect the football on college gamedays to see his role increase.

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"First of all, you mentioned it already, I don't care how good the running back is, if he can't hold onto that football, you can't play him," Jackson said. "So that's number one. So you talk about development. You know, you think about the drills you do. I would not do one drill without having the emphasis on letting them know the value of that football. So you got to train them to understand that that's the number one thing."

Jordan Marshall will enter 2026 as the unquestioned starter on the team, and he could have an All-American season under Jason Beck. But for the second year in a row, the Wolverines appear destined to have a great one-two punch in the backfield.