Michigan Could Be Better At RB In 2020 Than Ever Before Under Harbaugh
With returning starters at 13 positions, some of them - like junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and redshirt sophomore right tackle Jaylen Mayfield - capable of All-American campaigns, Michigan could be better at certain spots than it has ever been under Jim Harbaugh.
In this series, we look at the most promising position grosups and let you ultimately decide.
Running Back: The best individual season by a Wolverine ball carrier under Harbaugh came in 2018, when Karan Higdon rushed for 1,178 yards and 10 touchdowns, ending a six-year drought without a 1,000-yard tailback (Fitz Toussaint in 2011). That year there was also a clear plan at the position, Higdon getting 51.7% of the running backs' carries with Chris Evans serving as a bona fide No. 2 (18.7% of the rushing attempts).
Those two averaged 145.5 yards rushing per contest, combining for 15 "big-play" runs (20 yards or more) while the Wolverines' rushing attack overall converted a Harbaugh-era high 66.0% of its 3rd-and-short opportunities (1 to 3 yards) into first downs.
Michigan has not had this much promise at the running back position since the pre-Rich Rodriguez days, sophomores Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet averaging 103.7 yards combined a year ago as freshmen, 125.6 per game once Haskins emerged from fourth-string to top two. Throw Evans back into the mix and U-M has three complementary backs all capable of being the No. 1.
What they seemingly lack, or at least Haskins and Charbonnet - home-run speed - is actually a bit overrated in today's game as most of the "big plays" come in the passing attack: among the Top 10 offenses in college football in 2018-19, only 26.5% of their 20-yard-plus plays came on the ground. In 2019, Michigan got 22.1% of its "big plays" from its rushers.
On the surface, Evans should offer the Wolverines a greater long-distance threat but he's created a 20-yard run on just 5.6% of his 304 career carries while Haskins is, in a smaller but legitimate sample size (121 rushes), at 5.7%.
Where Evans could help Michigan is as a "big-play" producer in the passing game, he's produced a "big-play" reception on 20.0% of his 40 career receptions. In 2019, that's an area that LSU tailback Clyde Edwards-Helaire excelled at, producing such on 14.5% of his 55 catches. Haskins and Charbonnet had just one "big-play" reception among their 14 combined grabs last season (7.1%).
True freshmen Blake Corum (an early enrollee) is also in the mix, but without spring practice, he would seemingly find himself behind all three experienced players on the depth chart.
So will this be best running back group Michigan has had under Harbaugh? Tell us what you think.
