De’Veon Smith
Projected RB starter: Senior De’Veon Smith. Smith is not the most dynamic back, but he does possess the toughness Jim Harbaugh wants in a running back. Last season he led the team in rushing yards (753) and touchdowns (6), despite having the lowest yards per carry on the team (4.18). However, he did end the season on a strong note with 25 carries for 109 yards against a pretty good Florida defense.
Departures: Rising senior Derrick Green decided to transfer, although his destination is not yet known. Florida is one possibility, where former Michigan offensive coordinator holds the same position. Green was the team’s sixth-leading rusher last season. Redshirt junior Ross Taylor-Douglas managed just 1.8 yards/carry last year and announced that he would be transferring to Rutgers.
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Backup battle: Fifth year senior Drake Johnson is hanging around after being the team’s #2 rusher last year (271 yards, 5.0 yards/carry, 4 TDs). He has had injury problems in the past and is not a very physical runner, so he is best served as a complementary back. Redshirt junior Ty Isaac led the team in rushing average (6.83) but only played in seven games, due to off-the-field issues and a couple of fumbles against Maryland. Those are the best bets for primary backup roles. Meanwhile, a couple of freshmen enrolled early in Kingston Davis and Kareem Walker; Davis has some body reshaping to do, and Walker did not look great as a senior or at the Under Armour All-American Game. Redshirt junior Wyatt Shallman managed to eke out 9 yards on 3 carries last season, and sophomore Karan Higdon had 11 carries for 19 yards. I would not expect them to push for front-runner status at this point.
#1 thing to watch: Will the light come on for Ty Isaac? I have never had any questions about Isaac’s overall talent, but there have always been questions about his mental and physical toughness. Last season he was in the doghouse, but he has pledged to step up his efforts this off-season. I still maintain that he’s the most talented runner on the team, but it doesn’t matter if he continues to fumble, miss blocks, and run into off-the-field issues. If he’s not sniffing the field by the spring game, then that could spell the end of his time at Michigan.
Projected FB starter: Redshirt junior Khalid Hill. I use this term very loosely, because the fullback situation this year may be very fluid. Hill was a 6’2″, 270 lb. tight end/H-back last year, but he’s moving to fullback this spring. I doubt he will be a true fullback in the manner of getting a few carries per game, but he can be a lead blocker and a pass catcher. I would not be surprised if Smith takes some snaps here, but that may be a development that Harbaugh won’t unveil until the fall.
Departures: Arguably the most depleted position via graduation is fullback. Michigan basically had two starters last season in Joe Kerridge (14 carries, 62 yards, 4.43 yards/carry, 1 TD) and Sione Houma (43 carries, 184 yards, 4.28 yards/carry, 5 TDs), who combined for 13 catches and 110 yards. Houma in particular was very versatile and got some of those carries as a tailback.
Backup battle: Michigan’s third-stringer last season was Bobby Henderson, who may or may not return as a fifth year senior in 2016. He played in three games, but may be the best true fullback on the roster at 5’11”, 240 lbs. Other walk-ons include redshirt sophomores Deyanco Hardwick (5’11”, 225 lbs.) and Nick Volk (5’10”, 238 lbs.). As a quasi-fullback, Michigan used Henry Poggi frequently last year as a blocking back/H-back; he caught one short pass on the season.
#1 thing to watch: Will any tailbacks become fullbacks? Michigan’s two fullbacks combined for 57 carries last season, so they’re an integral part of the running game. Hill might be able to pull off the task, but he has no experience as a runner taking handoffs in the backfield. Smith started at tailback but has the size, toughness, and strength to play some fullback. Davis and Shallman have the size to be fullbacks, but neither one is inclined to play the position. The team has an opening and a need, so it will be interesting to see whether anyone puts his ego aside to become a lead blocker.
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If I’m Wyatt Shallman, I’m in somebody’s office about every day telling them how much I’d just love to be a FB when I grow up. This one of several recent bonehead kids I just don’t understand.
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After 3 years at Michigan Tom Brady had 2 attempts and was assumed to be headed for a backup spot behind younger guys viewed as ahead of him. He obviously should have grown up and quit, but instead he was a bonehead.
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Correction, he had 20 attempts after 3 years.
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QB is a different animal than running back. You can see the pecking order before a guy gets a starting role, because multiple guys play in each game. Yes, Shallman had some injury issues in 2015, but he got 3 carries for 9 yards. Literally every other running back on the roster got more carries in 2015 than he did in his past two seasons COMBINED. Never say never, but…Shallman is absolutely buried on the bench. I don’t think Brady and Shallman are in the same boat.
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Brady was just as obviously buried on the bench. With Henson (top 5, if not #1 overall recruit in the country) on the way, it can be argued he had even less of on opportunity to be a starter than Shallman (who has no elite players or recruits ahead of him at RB).
Look, I don’t expect Shallman to start at RB either, but calling him a bonehead and insulting his maturity is inappropriate IMO. The line between being stubborn and being determined can be pretty gray.
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I think there’s a good chance that one of these walk-ons emerges into a prominent role at FB. Not many of the TEs or RBs who are available for FB duty fit the prototypical physical profile of a FB.
If they can’t find one, Michigan may just use their FBs a little differently – more like H-backs.
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