The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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38 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2021 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL "He's been used to just trying to run everything around everybody all the time. That's been a steady process. It's all noth- ing but north and south out of Donovan. It's going to be a matter of time before he breaks one — you just have that feeling on the sideline, and it's the same thing after watching the tape. He just wants it so bad — he's one of those types of players. "We'll be seeing more of Donovan Ed- wards." He carried only once for four yards in a 31-10 win over Washington, however, and didn't see the field much, but he re- sponded with eight carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns, including a 58-yard dash to paydirt, in the win over Northern Illinois. Edwards has continued to improve in practice and continues to show maturity for a guy used to having a chance to go the distance on every play in high school. "One of the biggest transitions when you get to college — everybody is fast," running backs coach Mike Hart said. "Not just fast, but they contain the ball and an- gles, so you have to get vertical. He did a great job. "One thing … I have to get him on the field more. He's talented. I told him the other day, he should have had more car- ries in the game against Washington, without a doubt. I've got to get him in there, get him oiled up." ❏ Five Best Players 1. Freshman running back Blake Corum He hasn't just been Michigan's top player through three games, but also one of the nation's most productive standouts. Corum is tied with three others atop the country with seven rushing touchdowns, ranks fourth nationally in yards per carry (8.5) and slots seventh in the land in rushing yards per game (135.7). Having added 46 receiving yards (and one score) and 128 kick return yards, he leads the nation in all-purpose yards with 581 through Sept. 18. Corum rushed for more than 100 yards in three straight games, becoming the first Wolverine to accomplish the feat since quarterback Denard Robinson racked up 100-plus rushing yards in five consecutive contests in 2011. He earned the nod as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after recording a career-high 171 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Washington win. 2. Junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson After missing the second half of last season with a leg fracture and not being able to hit an opposing quarterback for nearly a year, Hutchinson made up for lost time in the Wolverines' opener against Western Michigan Sept. 4, sacking Bronco quarterback Kaleb Eleby while simultaneously dislodging the ball for one of his four tackles on the day. He followed that performance with a 2.5-sack evening against Washington Sept. 11. Forty percent of his tackles on the year have come behind the line of scrimmage, and he's also added two quarterback hurries. His overall PFF grade of 90.9 leads Michigan's defense by more than 10 points and ranks second nationally among edge rushers who have played 50 or more snaps. 3. Redshirt sophomore running back Hassan Haskins While Corum has been the headliner in the backfield, Haskins has been his con- sistent and explosive self, starting all three outings and totaling 281 yards (32nd nationally) and four touchdowns (tied for 26th) on 49 rush attempts. He has not been brought down for a loss of yards to this point. Haskins' top game came against Wash- ington, when he car- ried it a career-high 27 times for 155 yards, a new single- game best, and a six- yard score. 4. Redshir t junior linebacker Josh Ross He continually finds him- self around the ball, leading the team with 23 tackles, 10 more than any other Wolverine. He was espe- cially stout against Washington, beginning with the first play from scrimmage when he notched a tackle for loss to set the tone for a night in which Michigan allowed just 10 points. Ross has been as consistent as they come, with his missed tackle percentage of 4.8 (accord- Superlatives From Michigan's First Three Games (Sept. 4-18) Edwards had a breakout game with eight carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns, including a 58-yard dash to the end zone, in the win over Northern Illinois. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Freshman running back Blake Corum is the first Wolverine to run for at least 100 yards in three straight games since Denard Robinson in 2011. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL