Michigan Running Backs: One Thing I Like, One Thing I Don't, One Thing To Watch

Even with Blake Corum off to the NFL, the Wolverines bring a talented backfield into 2024…

Matt Lounsberry | Jul 2, 2024

Michigan running back Donovan Edwards runs against Washington during the second half of U-M's 34-13 win in the College Football Playoff national championship game in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Michigan Wolverines

As the calendar flips to July, excitement begins to build for the 2024 college football season. We are just over three weeks away from Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis and a little over a month from the start of fall camps across the country.

Coming off arguably its best season in program history, Michigan brings another loaded roster into 2024 in the form of “Team 145”. In preparation for the upcoming year, it’s a good time to break down each position group for the Wolverines with “one thing I like”, “one thing I don’t” and “one thing to watch”. After examining the quarterbacks yesterday, let’s move on to the other members of the backfield — Running Backs

One Thing I Like

Michigan’s offensive identity is centered around running the football, even when their opponents know that’s exactly what they want to do. The Wolverines were blessed with outstanding running back rooms for much of the Jim Harbaugh era, and they’ll have another good one in 2024 as head coach Sherrone Moore takes over.

It starts with senior Donovan Edwards, who returns to Ann Arbor following a disappointing season (by his standards) a year ago. Make no mistake, the West Bloomfield native expected to be a 2024 NFL Draft selection before the 2023 season began, but those plans went awry as Edwards’ struggled to replicate an outstanding sophomore season. Still, we got to see the EA Sports College Football 25 cover athlete’s powers return in the national championship win over Washington, in which Edwards ran for 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns on just six carries.

This season, Edwards will be the featured back in Michigan’s offense, and he has all the physical gifts necessary for his farewell season in Ann Arbor to be memorable. I can’t wait to see how the braintrust of Moore, offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell and new running backs coach Tony Alford utilize Edwards in the pass game in 2024 as well.

Oh, yeah… Michigan also returns a now-seasoned Kalel Mullings as its No. 2 tailback after the fifth-year senior averaged 6.2 yards per carry last season. Mullings and Edwards provide a true “thunder and lightning” combination in the Wolverines’ backfield, and there’s little reason to doubt that duo will be a headache for opposing defenses.

One Thing I Don’t

Whenever you lose a guy like Blake Corum, arguably the greatest running back in program history, there’s a big hole left behind. While I’m excited about the duo of Edwards and Mullings, Corum’s vision and his ability to make guys miss in a phone booth are what separated him last season. If there’s one thing I can point to as a question for Edwards, it would be his vision as a ball-carrier. There was more than just one factor into why Edwards’ production and effectiveness dipped a season ago, but I think that was one of the biggest reasons.

How much can and has Edwards improved in that area? It’s less important for a guy like Mullings, who figures to be more of a short-yardage battering ram for the Wolverines this season. I think Michigan can counter what they lose between the tackles with Corum gone by getting the ball to Edwards more in the pass game.

One Thing To Watch

Who’s going to be the third option for Michigan following Edwards and Mullings? It’ll be interesting to see who emerges in fall camp and during the early weeks of the season. The favorite is redshirt freshman Benjamin Hall, who had the fourth-most carries among U-M running backs a year ago (15 carries, 69 yards). Hall has drawn comparisons to former Michigan tailback Hassan Haskins, though the redshirt freshman is slightly shorter and heavier at 5-foot-11, 234 pounds.

Beyond Hall, other candidates would include redshirt junior Tavierre Dunlap (2023 stats: five carries, 21 yards), redshirt freshman and former four-star prospect Cole Cabana (two carries, six yards) and early enrollee freshman Jordan Marshall (No. 78 overall player, class of 2024). Even without Corum, Michigan brings a loaded running back room into 2024. We should get a glimpse at the future as guys compete for that No. 3 running back spot, with this likely being Edwards’ and Mullings’ final year.

In Case You Missed It

This article is part of a series examining every position group on Michigan Football’s 2024 roster. You can find the other position groups that Michigan Wolverines On SI has already covered here: (Quarterback)