Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. In a recent interview with On3, Michigan RB Justice Haynes likened his new coach, Sherrone Moore, to his former head coach at Alabama, Nick Saban:
Former Alabama Crimson Tide running back Justice Haynes has only been a Michigan Wolverine for six months, but he was no stranger to the program. The two teams duked it out in the ReliaQuest Bowl last December, and while Haynes had already entered the transfer portal by then, perhaps it was a sign from the stars.
Haynes was also part of Alabama’s running back room when Michigan usurped the Tide in the Rose Bowl en route to winning the national championship. Haynes got an up-close look at the physical, run-oriented Wolverines he would later join.
Much of that was derived from current head coach Sherrone Moore and his offensive line-engrained philosophies. Now, Haynes gets to run behind Moore’s maulers up front. In a recent interview with Pete Nakos of On3 , Haynes took things a step further and likened his new coach to his head coach at Alabama when he was a true freshman.
“(Moore) reminds me of a young coach (Nick) Saban in a lot of ways,” Haynes said. “He’s going to kick it with you. He’s going to have fun with you. But then there is also a time to be serious and a time to be disciplined. Everything is discipline-oriented around there. We train differently from anyone else in the country. We work harder than anyone in the country, and we’re all about running the ball and stopping the run. That’s what we pride ourselves on, and that’s ultimately what led to my decision. I knew they were going to value the running back position, and I knew I could thrive in the offense.”
It is a little early for the Saban comparisons, given his seven national championship rings and the fact that Moore has coached just one full season at Michigan. But even with his new job title and responsibilities, Moore has not strayed from the assistant he was that helped the Wolverines to their most dominant stretch (2021-23) in at least 25 years.
Haynes also knows a thing or two about elite programs, and recognizing those patterns this early into his tenure bodes well for Moore’s time at the helm.
As a freshman in Tuscaloosa, Haynes was buried on the depth chart and finished fifth on the team in rushing yards (168 on 25 carries with two touchdowns). Last year provided an increased workload, and while he still played second fiddle to Jam Miller and run-heavy quarterback Jalen Milroe, Haynes had 79 carries for 448 yards and seven touchdowns.
Haynes will likely split carries with Jordan Marshall, an impressive runner in his own right who should help form a dangerous duo. This tandem has all the tools and the encouraging mindset to lead the Wolverines back to the mountaintop.
As big of a role as Moore played in luring Haynes north, he cannot take sole credit. Running backs coach Tony Alford, whom Haynes said he views as a second father, recruited him as a high school prospect when he was on the Ohio State staff. He already got the memo about Alford’s old stomping grounds.
“We don’t like Ohio State. We don’t wear red,” Haynes said.
If you weren’t already, get excited to watch Haynes behind a revamped offensive line and solidify his legacy in this latest chapter of his collegiate career. If he has learned one thing from his time at Michigan, it is that expectations are always high.
“Just to be the best player I could, and then team-wise, win a national championship,” Haynes said.
If Moore keeps up the Saban comparisons, that title could become a reality sooner rather than later.