Michigan 47, Western Michigan 14

Tag: Hassan Haskins


4Sep 2021
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Michigan 47, Western Michigan 14

Ronnie Bell (image via Fox 47 News)

Cade McNamara > Joe Milton. Redshirt sophomore Cade McNamara had a game that Joe Milton could only dream of, and that included completing 9/11 passes for 136 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. It doesn’t matter if you can throw a ball 80 yards if you don’t know where the ball is going. McNamara has the ability to recognize matchups and read defenses, and those skills trump Howitzers for arms. His best two passes of the day were beautiful deep balls to . . .

Ronnie Bell. Bell made a great one-handed catch on the sideline (nullified by a very questionable offensive pass interference call) and a great 76-yard catch-and-run touchdown. That at the end of an exciting 31-yard punt return, he seemed to slump to the ground when getting tackled and was swarmed by medical personnel. When he left the field, he had to be carried and his right leg was just dangling. My fear is that he tore his ACL while making a cut at the end of the run. Bell is a captain, led the team in receiving the past two years, and was bound to lead the team in that category once again in 2021. After losing Aidan Hutchinson, Kwity Paye, and Jalen Mayfield to injury in 2020, it’s frustrating that Michigan couldn’t avoid a serious injury even one game into the season against a MAC opponent.

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2Sep 2021
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2021 Season Predictions

Aidan Hutchinson

Look below for my bold, sure-to-be-100%-correct predictions for 2021.

LEADING RUSHER
It doesn’t get any bolder than picking the guy who has finished #1 or #2 in rushing the past two seasons (and the #1 guy from 2019 is playing for UCLA now). Yes, you guessed it. I’m picking Hassan Haskins. Haskins was a ho-hum recruit who has become a very dependable runner, if lacking great breakaway speed. Last season he took a stranglehold on the job, running 61 times for 375 yards (6.2 yards/carry) and 6 touchdowns. Sophomore Blake Corum should also get a good chunk of carries, but in crunch time, I expect Haskins to be the primary back.
Prediction: Hassan Haskins, 900 yards

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30Aug 2021
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2021 Season Countdown: #6 Hassan Haskins

Nov 21, 2020; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Hassan Haskins (25) carries the ball as Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Christian Izien (0) pursues during overtime at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

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Name: Hassan Haskins
Height:
6’1″
Weight:
220 lbs.
High school:
St. Louis (MO) Eureka
Position:
Running back
Class:
Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#25
Last year:
I ranked Haskins #40 and said he would be a backup running back (LINK). He led the team with 61 carries for 375 yards (6.1 yards/carry) and 6 touchdowns; he also caught 0 passes for 0 yards.
TTB Rating:
74

I have to admit to being a Hassan Haskins doubter. Not that I ever thought he would be an abject failure (I gave a TTB Rating of 74), but I thought he would get stuck behind Zach Charbonnet. Or Chris Evans. But like a horror movie villain, you try to run away, you stumble, you look up, and he’s always there. Looming. Lurking.

Charbonnet (since transferred to UCLA) was the first victim, and Evans (held to just 25 touches in 2020) was the second. Haskins broke a ton of tackles, ran the Wildcat, and seemed to cement his place as the #1 running back on the team. He made some long runs (66 yards vs. Minnesota, 59 vs. Penn State) and squeaked out yardage when it seemed like there was nowhere to go. As a somewhat taller back, he has shown a surprising ability to sink his hips and make people miss.

Now Haskins appears to be the top guy with Blake Corum as his tag team buddy. Michigan has always rotated backs heavily during the Jim Harbaugh era, and not just when Jay Harbaugh was the running backs coach from 2017-2020. Tyrone Wheatley also rotated through guys in 2015-2016, with five players having 30+ carries in 2015 and four guys notching 70+ carries in 2016. The rotation won’t be quite as liberal in 2021 since Michigan has just four scholarship running backs on the roster, but both Haskins and Corum should get a fair number of opportunities. I don’t think Haskins will have an explosive year on the ground, but if Michigan’s line can gel this season, I think he could approach 900 yards.

Prediction: Starting running back; 900 yards, 9 touchdowns

28Dec 2020
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Anatomy of a Running Back Substitution, Part 2

Zach Charbonnet (image via Freep)

The other day I posted about Michigan’s running back rotations (LINK). Today I will be addressing why running backs might get rotated.

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There are a lot of reasons to rotate running backs from play to play. Ideally, you have a perfect, three-down running back who never gets hurt or makes mental mistakes . . . but those are rare.

Hit the jump for a discussion of eight reasons to sub in new running backs.

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1Dec 2020
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Michigan vs. Penn State Awards

Hassan Haskins

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Hassan Haskins. Haskins averaged 5.9 yards per carry on 17 attempts (stat line: 17 rushes, 106 yards, 2 TD). The quarterbacks combined to average 4.0 yards per passing attempt. Of course, you’re probably not going to be able to break off big runs if you’re handing off the ball 60 times and throwing it 20 times, but Haskins was not used enough. He’s the most consistent runner behind a mediocre (or bad) offensive line.

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