Michigan football plans to find more snaps for player who could start for ‘95% of teams

The Wolverines want to get him onto the field more and more as the season goes on.

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Entering the 2025 season, Michigan was confident it had one of the best one-two punches at running back after the Wolverines landed Alabama transfer Justice Haynes to pair with redshirt freshman Jordan Marshall. Haynes burst onto the scene, gaining over 100 yards in his first five games for Michigan.

While Haynes was hot, Marshall got off to a slower start. While Haynes was rushing for 100, Marshall didn't break 50 yards until Week 3. But it all changed for the former Mr. Ohio Award Winner against Washington. Marshall gained 133 yards against the Huskies as the starter, and this past week, against MSU, both Haynes and Marshall eclipsed the 100-yard mark.

On Monday, head coach Sherrone Moore said Marshall deserves more carries and the fact is, he would start at most schools out there.

"Yeah, 100%. I mean, Jordan’s, you know, he would go to 95% of the schools in the country and be the starter, if not all of them," said Moore. "So he’s an outstanding running back. He has the ability to make you miss. He has the ability to run you over. He has the ability to, you know, take the big one to the house. So he’s done everything he can at this point to get carries, and he’ll continue to do that."

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Coach Moore shares how the duo works well together

The term thunder and lightning is heard all around the football landscape when a team has an explosive back and a thumper, who can play off each other. Michigan is believed to have that now in Haynes and Marshall. We've seen Haynes burst through the hole for big gains, and Marshall moves the pile by not allowing his legs to stop.

Coach Moore talked about how the two backs are similar, but have their own style of running that allows Michigan to rotate between the two.

"Yeah, I mean a little bit. I think both of them have the ability, as we’ve seen, to have the explosive playability," Moore said of Haynes and Marshall. "I think both of them can run you over, make you miss, do that. But I think Justice, we’ve just seen more of the 50-yard runs, 60-yard runs, where Jordan’s only had a couple of them. And Jordan’s really that thumper, that wear you down back, that moves the pile. Where Justice isn’t that as much, but they both have that ability.

"So the biggest difference is probably that Jordan’s more of that thumper guy, whereas Justice is the one cut. You know, he can bounce it outside and get that touchdown, or he can one cut and go for 50. But both of them, obviously, super successful in what they’ve been doing."

Michigan will be back in action on Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET against Purdue.

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