The depth of the running back room was on full display in the spring game and it appears the rushing attack will produce at a high level in 2025. Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall are set to earn a bulk of the carries but several others could contribute as well:
The depth of the Michigan Wolverines ’ running back room was on full display in the spring game and it appears the rushing attack will produce at a high level in 2025. Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall are expected to earn a bulk of the carries this season but Micah Ka’apana, Bryson Kuzdzal, and a pair of transfer additions will contribute as well.
It’s unclear how the coaching staff will decide to split snaps between Haynes and Marshall , but both will play a significant role. Haynes and Marshall only played in the first quarter in the spring game, so the statistics don’t jump off the page. However, it was intriguing to get a glimpse into what the duo could look like.
“I see an offense that’s determined to prove a point. Our offense is going to be explosive and balanced,” Haynes said after the spring game. “We’re going to be a complete offense. We’re going to be a really explosive offense and we’re going to make some noise. Coach Moore says all the time that we pride ourselves on running the ball and stopping the run.”
Haynes led the Blue Team with 51 yards on six carries (8.5 yards per attempt), including a 26-yard run. Marshall finished with nine rushing yards on just four carries. It would have been nice to see more out him, but his 100-yard performance in the bowl game is what we should expect to see from him going forward.
“You saw a little flash of Justice Haynes when he bounced that one to the left, and he’s a guy that has home run speed. He’s been a great leader,” Sherrone Moore said. “Jordan Marshall just works his tail off and tries to emulate him, so it’s been a great combination. I think we have a good room and we’ll continue to drive to get the best guys in there.”
Ka’apana racked up 34 rushing yards and one touchdown on 15 carries after replacing Haynes in the second quarter, but the big winner of the spring game was Kuzdzal. He took over for Marshall and went off for a game-high 105 rushing yards on 14 attempts, highlighted by a 30-yard sprint that showed off his ability to get to the second level of the defense.
Michigan also added to the room in the transfer portal, with UMass’ CJ Hester and Princeton’s John Volker committing in recent days. Hester had 529 rushing yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore and has two years of eligibility left. Volker totaled 514 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2024 and has just one year of eligibility remaining.
In addition to a loaded group of running backs, the Wolverines will also lean on quarterback Bryce Underwood to make an impact in the ground game. Underwood is an elite athlete with breakaway speed, which we saw on Saturday as he escaped the pocket and took off for a 17-yard run.
All in all, Michigan recorded 205 rushing yards on 53 attempts (3.9 yards per carry) to go with nine first-down runs and one touchdown on Saturday. Despite losing Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings to the NFL, as well as Ben Hall to the portal, the Wolverines’ ground game should be able to rely on their depth and continue to succeed in the upcoming campaign.