What Michigan Football should do with its crowded running back room

Michigan Football has a good problem on its hards — it once again has a very crowded running back room. What will each of their roles be in 2025?

The Michigan Wolverines have a very good problem on their hands.

While many college football teams around the country have been dealing with talent deprived rosters with NIL and roster limits in full swing, Michigan appears to be deep at many positions.

Arguably the deepest position on the roster is the running backs. Despite losing Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings to the NFL, head coach Sherrone Moore has replenished the position this offseason with three additions via the transfer portal.

With all the movement, there is going to be a lot to sort through for running backs coach Tony Alford and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey. They are probably asking themselves, “What should Michigan do with a crowded running back room?”

Let’s find out.

Starter 1A: Jordan Marshall

It would be shocking if Marshall was not given a carry on the first series of the 2025 season, let alone in a starting role.

Marshall dealt with some injuries in 2024 that kept him off of the field for 75 percent of Michigan’s contests, but his 100-yard performance over Alabama was a massive coming out party that should give the coaching staff confidence in him.

Marshall is the prototypical running back at 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds. In his small sample size, the 2023 Mr. Ohio has shown the ability to break tackles, create space in the open field and turn on the jets. He did rush for nine yards on four carries during the spring game, but getting one series means the coaching staff has seen plenty to be happy about. Expect him to be featured a lot this fall.

Starter 1B: Justice Haynes

Moore recognized that giving Marshall 25+ carries per game was not ideal, so the staff set their sights on the best running back in the portal. Haynes appeared in 25 games in two seasons at Alabama, carrying the ball 104 times for 616 yards and nine touchdowns.

Haynes is the Mr. Do-It-All, as he can run, catch and block, all at a high level. His pass-catching ability, in particular, can allow Lindsey and Moore to run two running back sets, throw Haynes out wide with Marshall staying in the backfield, and play around with a ton of misdirection and screens.

Change-of-pace backup: CJ Hester

UMass transfer CJ Hester will be competing for RB3 in 2025. After starting his career at Western Michigan, he went to UMass and appeared in 11 games in 2024, tallying 119 carries for 529 total yards and four touchdowns.

Hester will be making a big jump from mid-level to Power Four, but his production at his previous two stops should translate well in a backup role.

Short yardage: John Volker

Talk about a bowling ball running back who loves to break tackles and pick up extra yards.

Shortly after getting Hester’s commitment, Michigan also added Princeton running back John Volker to join the squad. The 6-foot, 210 pounder has seen a lot of football in the Ivy League, most recently starting all but one game in 2024 and compiling 514 yards and six touchdowns.

It may be difficult to find a role for four starting-caliber running backs — plus a fullback in Max Bredeson — but Volker brings his own unique abilities to the table. How exactly he contributes is unclear at the moment, but with his size and running style, it would be smart to utilize him in short-yardage situations.

Further depth: Micah Ka’apana and Bryson Kuzdzal

Ka’apana and Kuzdzal received a ton of carries in the spring game to show what they can do if their number is called. Despite not getting any carries in regular season games, Kuzdzal had 14 carries for 105 yards, while Ka’apana had 15 carries for 34 yards and one touchdown.

It’s worth mentioning no other running backs recorded more than six carries, so the coaches really wanted to see what they had in these two. While there may not be a massive role for Ka’apana or Kuzdal in 2025, they both should receive special teams snaps at the very least.