The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1493247
2023 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE 50 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2023 BY EJ HOLLAND It's not often you have your future head coach over for breakfast. College coaches make in-home visits with recruits throughout the month of December, but the large majority of these meetings take place in the afternoon or evening. Michigan head coach Jim Har- baugh isn't your ordinary college head coach, though. Harbaugh and running backs coach Mike Hart arrived bright and early for their in-home visit with three-star Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb running back Benjamin Hall. "It was good," Hall said. "It was actually at 7:30 in the morning. We whipped out some coffee and some muffins for them and chatted for a little bit. They just reas- sured me on Michigan. We talked about me coming up there. We're excited to get this whole thing going." Harbaugh made a strong impression on Hall and his family during the visit, focus- ing more on life conversations as opposed to football. "He's a good guy," Hall said. "He's re- ally funny and kind of quirky. It's great talking to him and gauging his perspective on life. We had those conversations about life out of football, which brings us closer. When he was talking, he would act things out or yell something out. He was being himself. That's what makes him such a great coach." Hart identified Hall early in the pro- cess and notched his commitment back in March 2022. The two have developed a strong relationship over the past several months, and Hall can't wait to play for one of the best running backs coaches in the country. "Our relationship is good," Hall said. "We talk about life outside of football, but I'm not the type of recruit that needs to be called every day. We communicate well. It's a great opportunity to play for him. He knows what he's doing. With a great of- fensive line and great coaches like Coach Hart, the sky is the limit." Hall added that he was impressed with the way Hart coached up the Michigan running backs this past season. "Donovan [Edwards] impressed me every game," Hall said. "Blake [Corum] had a great year. He got snubbed for the Doak [Walker Award]. They both had great years, and I'm excited to come in after them. It's a beauty the way the offensive line makes holes. All you have to do is run straight." Hall was an early enrollee at Michigan in January and is now set to go through spring practices. "I'm ready to learn and pick things up," he said. "Going through spring practice will give me a chance to get used to the speed of the game. Having that knowl- edge will hopefully help me get on the field early. Coach [Ben] Herbert [Michigan strength coach] plays a big role in Michi- gan's success, and I'm excited to work un- der him. I've been locked in." ❏ Early Enrollee Georgia Running Back Benjamin Hall Is 'Locked In' 2023 Projection Hall is a strong, compact back that fits the mold of what Mike Hart desires at the running back position. However, he has a lot of work to do after receiving second- ary carries at the high school level. Hart must teach him how to use his size and brute strength to run through potential tacklers. It will likely take a few years be- fore Hall sees the field. Hall was part of back-to-back regional title- winning teams at Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb High and scored 2 touchdowns in the 2022 regional final. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND STATISTICS Year Rush Yds. TD Rec. Yds. TD 2022* 61 324 4 9 93 2 2021 95 543 8 12 110 0 * partial-season statistics, only available through six games HONORS • Honorable mention all-region his senior year (2022). • Earned second-team all-region as a junior (2021). • Best single-game performances in 2022 included: 23 carries for 175 yards and 1 touchdown; 12 carries for 94 yards and 1 touchdown; 12 total touches, 110 yards and 2 touchdowns; had a two-TD game in the regional final. • Part of back-to-back regional title-win- ning teams at North Cobb. • Helped the Warriors to a 9-3 record his senior year and an appearance in the GHSA playoffs. • In 2021, the team posted a 10-2 record and won the Region 3 title. RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan March 29, 2022, after receiving his offer Jan. 18, 2022. • Picked U-M over offers from South Carolina, Miami, NC State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Purdue. • Recruited by U-M running backs coach Mike Hart. DID YOU KNOW? • An early enrollee at U-M. • Also lettered in basketball for North Cobb as a point guard; averaged 4.8 points, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a junior. • Son of A.G. and Donna Hall. • Born Feb. 19, 2005. BENJAMIN HALL RUNNING BACK 5-11 • 235 NORTH COBB HIGH ACWORTH, GA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ 1,040 76 103 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 89 137 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 73 105 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 49 73 ✪ ✪ ✪ — — 92 consensus THEY SAID IT North Cobb head coach Shane Queen: "Michigan plays downhill. They like to run between the tackles. You have a guy that weighs more than 225 pounds. He's going to be a wrecking ball. He's going to fit in well with what they do there."