Tag: Jordan Marshall

2025 Season Countdown: #15 Jordan Marshall

Name: Jordan Marshall
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 216 lbs.
High school: Cincinnati (OH) Moeller
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #23
Last year: I ranked Marshall #73 and said he would be a backup running back (LINK). He played in five games and ran 31 times for 120 yards and returned 9 kickoffs for 225 yards.
TTB Rating: 88

Marshall was a top-100 recruit in the class of 2024 who started off the season being hyped by running backs coach Tony Alford . . . and then didn’t play much running back. A lot of people expected him to be the third back behind Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards, but he only carried the ball 31 times on the season, and that includes 23 times in the bowl game against Alabama after Mullings and Edwards were preparing for the NFL draft. Part of the reason Marshall didn’t play earlier was because he was working through an injury, and that allowed him to keep his redshirt by only playing in four regular season games (bowl games don’t count against redshirts). Maybe that doesn’t matter because I would be surprised if he’s still around in 2028, but you never know.

For the past few years, Michigan has had upperclassmen to handle running back duties, including Hassan Haskins, Blake Corum, Mullings, and Edwards, but this year is a little different with Marshall the reported leader in the clubhouse and junior Alabama transfer Justice Haynes right there behind him. Haynes was a 5-star recruit and someone who performed well when given opportunities in Tuscaloosa. Maybe this isn’t Michigan’s best 1-2 combo at running back, but it’s a pretty fantastic stack, at least as far as recruiting rankings go; Haynes was #29 overall in 2023 and Marshall was #78 overall in 2024.

Marshall showed a great deal of toughness during his performance against Alabama, dragging tacklers and running through attempts to take him down. He had very good track times in high school, but the ReliaQuest Bowl was more about his between-the-tackles effort than bouncing things outside or breaking big runs. He’ll have to continue that tough running behind an offensive line that will probably not be great in 2025, though Michigan fans are hoping it will be improved from last year. I seem some similarities between Marshall and Omarion Hampton, whom new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey helped turn into a first round draft pick this past spring.

Prediction: Starting running back; 220 carries, 1100 yards, 9 touchdowns

2025 Spring Football Preview: Running Back

RETURNING PLAYERS: Benjamin Hall (RS So.), Jordan Marshall (So.), Micah Ka’apana (RS Fr.)
NEWCOMERS: Justice Haynes (Jr.), Donovan Johnson (Fr.)
DEPARTURES: Cole Cabana (transfer to Western Michigan), Tavierre Dunlap (transfer to Eastern Michigan), Donovan Edwards (NFL Draft), Kalel Mullings (NFL Draft)

OUTLOOK: The 2024 squad looked to have a pretty solid makeup with Donovan Edwards gracing the cover of NCAA ’25 and Kalel Mullings a promising mooseback. And while both had decent seasons – Mullings had 948 yards and 12 touchdowns while Edwards had 589 yards and 4 scores – it was a step down from the years of Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum leading the charge from 2021-2023. Part of that stemmed from the offensive line issues, and part of it was the running backs themselves.

The good news is that true freshman Jordan Marshall, a high-level recruit, was ready to step in and run for 100 yards against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl after Edwards and Mullings both opted out of playing in the bowl game. Marshall reminds a lot of people of Blake Corum, and he might even have better breakaway speed, at least if you put stock in high school track times. Marshall also showed some toughness in breaking a bunch of tackles, and his combination of skills helped him jump ahead of Benjamin Hall, who is one year older.

Speaking of Hall, the 235 lb. bowling ball managed just 72 rushing yards in his second year, including 16 carries for just 28 yards in the bowl game. He showed some good running skills in the spring game and against Indiana in 2023, but he has been pretty quiet on the field on Saturdays.

Redshirt freshman Micah Ka’apana was very slight as a freshman last season and needed to add weight in the off-season. He does not seem like a likely candidate to be one of the top couple backs in 2025, but he could work his way into being a complementary back or a pass receiving threat out of the backfield. One interesting thing to note about new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey is that his starting running back in 2024, Omarion Hampton, caught 38 passes for 373 yards and 2 touchdowns. Michigan hasn’t had a running back catch that many passes since Chris Perry caught 44 balls in 2003.

Michigan also has reinforcements coming in the form of Justice Haynes, who played for Alabama the past two seasons. Haynes ran 79 times for 448 yards and 7 touchdowns last season as a backup for Jam Miller, and he was a 5-star recruit who boasts both power and speed. While Michigan has had complementary backs in recent years with the power of Haskins/Mullings, the speed of Donovan Edwards, and the power/elusiveness of Blake Corum, the duo of Marshall and Haynes – who I expect to be the top two backs – represents the first time where two similar backs will be able to spell each other. Both were listed in 2024 at 5’11” and 210 pounds, and they each have a good combination of balance, strength, and quickness.

The wild card this spring will be true freshman early enrollee Donovan Johnson, who missed his junior season with a torn ACL. Running backs coach Tony Alford reportedly checked in on Johnson personally to make sure Johnson was back up to speed, and Michigan pursued accordingly. He has not posted a highlight video on Hudl since his sophomore year, so nobody really knows how he looks except people who have been to his games in person. He’s supposedly up to around 215 pounds now, so the major question will be whether he has the speed/agility to be successful at this level.

Overall, it appears to be a Marshall vs. Haynes battle for the top job, but both players will probably see a lot of playing time in 2025. The primary battle this spring will be between Hall, Ka’apana, and Johnson for the third spot.

Michigan 19, Alabama 13

Surprise, surprise, surprise! For the second game in a row, almost nobody gave Michigan a chance to win. And for the second game in a row, almost everybody was wrong. The mighty Alabama Crimson Tide, who almost made the College Football Playoff with a 9-3 record, fell to 9-4. And when all is said and done, on paper that’s not far from where Michigan finished at 8-5. Alabama had lost some players to the transfer portal, but Michigan was missing ten starters (Myles Hinton, Colston Loveland, Kalel Mullings, Tyler Morris, Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Josaiah Stewart, Will Johnson, Makari Paige, Tommy Doman) and the guy who was on the cover of NCAA ’25 (Donovan Edwards) and still won the game.

Hit the jump for more.

2024 Season Countdown: #73 Jordan Marshall

Name: Jordan Marshall
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Cincinnati (OH) Moeller
Position: Running back
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #23
Last year: Marshall was a senior in high school (LINK). He ran for 1,550 yards, had 294 receiving yards, and scored 21 total touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 88

Marshall was perhaps the most prized recruit in the 2024 class, a 247 Composite top-100 player (#78 overall) who was very productive in high school. His offer list was solid (Ohio State, Oregon were included) but not amazing (no Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, etc.). But what Michigan fans latched onto most was a perceived similarity to Blake Corum; both players have compact builds and a tough, tackle-breaking running style.

With two seniors at running back (Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings) and no clear-cut heir apparent, Marshall has a chance to stake his claim to the running back spot in 2025. That role could go to Benjamin Hall, who had an impressive spring game in 2023 but didn’t play a ton during the season. It could also go to Tavierre Dunlap, a little-used player who seems to fit new running backs coach Tony Alford’s personality than he did Mike Hart’s. And then there’s Cole Cabana, who barely played last year but has some upside with his speed and pass-catching ability. Regardless, my belief is that Marshall will have an expanded role in 2025 as either the #1 or #2 back, so I think it would be good to get him some carries in 2024. He’s unlikely to pass up Edwards or Mullings, but he could be the #3 back, a slot which has averaged 42 carries over the past three seasons.

Prediction: Backup running back

Visitors: Michigan vs. Ohio State

2024 PROSPECTS

Gatlin Bair – WR – Burley (ID) Burley: Bair is a 6’2″, 195-pounder who is committed to Boise State, who just fired head coach Andy Avalos. Bair is headed on a two-year Mormon mission after high school, so he will basically end up being a 2026 prospect. Bair is also considering Michigan and Oregon, along with BSU. He’s a 4-star, the #10 WR, and #40 overall. This visit is a possibility, but not set in stone at this point.

Zaquan Patterson – S – Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna: Patterson is a 6’0″, 185 lb. prospect who is committed to Miami. He’s a teammate of 2025 Michigan commit Chris Ewald. Patterson is a 4-star, the #5 safety, and #70 overall.

2024 COMMITS

QB Jadyn Davis
RB Micah Ka’apana
RB Jordan Marshall
WR Channing Goodwin
WR I’Marion Stewart
TE Hogan Hansen
TE Brady Prieskorn
OL Blake Frazier
OL Jake Guarnera
OL Luke Hamilton
OL Ben Roebuck
OL Andrew Sprague
DE Ted Hammond
DT Owen Wafle
LB Jeremiah Beasley
LB Mason Curtis
LB Zach Ludwig
LB Cole Sullivan
CB Jeremiah Lowe

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