The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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24 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2020 OVERALL GRADE This group made noticeable strides throughout the season, especially redshirt freshman Hassan Haskins. The former line- backer won the Wolverines' Most Improved Player Award on offense after carrying 121 times for 622 yards and four touchdowns. He's not a burner by any means, but an ef- fective chain-mover. His 5.1 yards per carry average was actually higher than Charbon- net's 4.9, and the best among running backs. U-M still seems to be missing that break- away home-run hitter in the backfield, however — the guy who can make a safety miss and take it to the house. Christian Turner was thought to be that guy before the season, but he managed only 171 yards on 44 carries (3.9 per rush) and struggled to hang on to the ball. Charbonnet's long run of 41 yards came in the opener against Middle Tennessee State, and while Haskins had a 49-yarder against Notre Dame — the team's longest run in 2019 — he isn't a breakaway threat. Fullback Ben Mason's play down the stretch as a lead blocker is one of the more underappreciated aspects of this group. His return will help the running game in 2020. NUMBERS TO KNOW Charbonnet's 11 rushing scores this sea- son were the most ever by a freshman in school history, breaking the previous record of nine. Mike Hart (2004-07) and Tyrone Wheatley (1991-94) shared the old mark. Charbonnet's 11 rushing touch- downs were also the fourth most in the Big Ten in 2019, trailing only the 21 that Ohio State junior J.K. Dobbins and Wis- consin junior Jonathan Taylor recorded, and the 12 that Penn State redshirt sopho- more Journey Brown racked up. MVP FRESHMAN ZACH CHARBONNET There were rumblings that Char- bonnet was on a "pitch count" af- ter carrying 33 times in a win over Army, with some concerned that overuse could lead to reinjuring the knee he had surgically repaired in the spring of 2019. He was lim- ited in the weeks following the 100-yard game against the Black Knights, carrying only 20 times for 70 yards in the next three contests, but managed another 100-yard outing with 116 on 6.4 yards per carry at Illinois and ended the season with 84 yards on 13 carries (6.5-yard average) against Alabama in the Citrus Bowl. Charbonnet earned Michigan's Offen- sive Rookie of the Year honors after leading the team with 726 yards and 11 touchdowns on 149 carries (4.9-yard average). He lost only one fumble all year and was U-M's best pass protector at his posi- tion, earning praise from head coach Jim Harbaugh as one of the best freshmen he'd ever seen in that role. Running Backs B- 2020 PLAYER TO WATCH BLAKE CORUM Corum will be a true freshman next season, and he might have trouble cracking the lineup with Charbonnet and Haskins in front of him. Rivals. com's No. 67 player nationally is a home-run hit- ter, though — a bit undersized at 5-9, 190 pounds (per Michigan on National Signing Day), but his 4.4 40-yard dash time and ability to make people miss could get him on the field. The Baltimore St. Frances alum was the Gato- rade Player of the Year in Maryland, rushed for 2,681 yards in his final two years of high school, and carried five times for 19 yards and a score in January's Under Armour All-American Game. status Of schOlaRship playeRs TRANSFERRED: Tru Wilson* ELIGIBILITY REMAINING (YEARS): Ben Mason (1) Zach Charbonnet (3) Hassan Haskins (3) Christian Turner (3) Ben VanSumeren (3) * Former walk-on PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN Zach Charbonnet