The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
R U N N I N G B A C K S THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 55 POSITION COACH Tony Alford was hired this spring as running backs coach and run game coordinator after nine sea- sons at Ohio State, including the last two as assistant head coach for offense. With the Buckeyes, Alford men- tored four running backs who produced six 1,000-yard seasons — Ezekiel Elliott (2015), Mike Weber (2016), J.K. Dobbins (2017-19) and TreVeyon Henderson (2021). Four of his Buckeye backs were drafted in the NFL, including three top-100 selections in Elliott (No. 4 overall), Dobbins (No. 55) and Trey Sermon (No. 88). Previously, the 55-year-old coached at Notre Dame for six years from 2009-14, working with wide receivers for two seasons and running backs for four. The 29- year veteran also coached running backs at Louisville (2007-08), Iowa State (2002-06), Washington (2001), Iowa State (1997-2000), Kent State (1996) and Division III Mount Union (1995). The Akron, Ohio, native attended Colorado Springs (Colo.) Doherty High and Colorado State University, where he was a four-year running back. RETURNING PLAYERS COLE CABANA • RB So. • Dexter, Mich. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 198 • Kept his redshirt and appeared in one contest (Bowling Green) in 2023, carrying twice for 6 yards. • Totaled 2,434 all-purpose yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior at Dexter High, earn- ing MLive 2022 Michigan Player of the Year honors. • First-team all-state (coaches) and Detroit Free Press Dream Team member as a senior. • Rated a four-star, the No. 201 player and No. 14 running back in the nation, and the second-ranked prospect in Michigan in the 2023 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. TAVIERRE DUNLAP • RB Sr. • Del Valle, Texas Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 229 • Saw time on special teams in 10 games and running back in three. Had 21 yards on 5 carries. • Appeared in 10 games at running back and on special teams in 2022, rushing 9 times for 46 yards with 1 catch for 5 yards. • Redshirted in 2021, appearing in two games, against Northern Illinois and Indiana. • Rated as a three-star recruit, the No. 407 overall player, No. 29 running back and No. 58 overall standout in Texas, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Att. Yds. Avg. TD 2021 2/0 7 51 7.3 0 2022 10/0 9 46 5.1 0 2023 10/0 5 21 4.2 0 Total 22/0 21 118 5.6 0 DONOVAN EDWARDS • RB Sr. • West Bloomfield, Mich. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 210 • Competed in all 15 outings in 2023, rushing for 497 yards and 5 touchdowns on 119 car- ries and adding 249 yards on 30 catches. • Exploded for a season-high 104 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns in a 34-13 win over Washington in the national championship game, becoming the first player in CFP title game history to run for multiple touchdowns of 40-plus yards (41, 46). • Played in 11 games (3 starts) in 2022, rushing 140 times for 991 yards with 7 touchdowns while add- ing 18 receptions for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns. • Put up a 216-yard, 2-touchdown performance against Ohio State, including TDs of 75 and 85 yards. • Earned Grange-Griffin MVP honors in the Big Ten Championship Game with 25 carries for 185 yards and 1 TD versus Purdue. • Racked up 174 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 35 carries as a freshman in 2021, while also thriv- ing as a pass catcher, registering 20 receptions for 265 yards and 1 touchdown. • Rushed for 1,502 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior at West Bloomfield, leading his team to the Division I state championship. • Tabbed by the On3 Industry Ranking as a four-star, the No. 2 running back and No. 34 overall player nationally, and the top recruit in Michigan in 2021. Year GP/GS Att. Yds. Avg. TD 2021 12/0 35 174 5.0 3 2022 11/3 140 991 7.1 7 2023 15/1 119 497 4.2 5 Total 38/4 294 1,662 5.7 15 BENJAMIN HALL • RB So. • Acworth, Ga. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 234 • Redshirted and played in three games as a freshman, registering 15 rush attempts for 69 yards and 1 reception for no gain. • Early enrollee in January 2023. • Attended North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Ga. • Rated a three-star prospect and ranked 1,041st overall, 76th at running back and 103rd in Georgia in the 2023 class. KALEL MULLINGS • RB Gr. • West Roxbury, Mass. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 239 • Notched 36 rushes for 222 yards and 1 touchdown, adding 2 re- ceptions for 32 yards in 13 out- ings in 2023. • Made 13 appearances in 2022 (10 at linebacker, 3 at running back), totaling 12 tackles and rushing for 31 yards and 3 touchdowns as a short-yardage back late in the season. • Completed a 15-yard halfback pass to Luke Schoon- maker on third down in the win over Ohio State. • Added running back duties during spring 2022. • Played in 13 games in 2021, recording 11 tackles. • Saw action in all six games in 2020, playing special teams in each and linebacker in four, and made 1 tackle and broke up 1 pass. • Selected as the Gatorade Player of the Year in Massachusetts for 2019 and participated in the 2020 All-American Bowl and the Polynesian Bowl. • Listed as a four-star talent, and the No. 16 line- backer and No. 132 overall player in the nation by the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Att. Yds. Avg. TD 2022 12/0 14 31 2.2 3 2023 13/0 36 222 6.2 1 Total 25/0 50 253 5.1 4 NEWCOMERS MICAH KA'APANA • RB Fr. • Waianae, Hawai'i Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 190 • Racked up 732 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns as a senior and rushed for 1,001 yards and 15 scores as a junior. • Helped Las Vegas Bishop Gorman win three straight Nevada Class 5A state championships from 2021-23 and the 2023 MaxPreps national title. • Tabbed a three-star recruit and the country's No. 507 overall prospect in 2023. Checked in as the No. 39 running back nationally and No. 2 player in Nevada. JORDAN MARSHALL • RB Fr. • West Chester, Ohio Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 200 • Totaled 6,196 career all-purpose yards, including a Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller program- record 4,787 yards rushing with 80 total TDs (65 rushing, 15 receiving). • Tallied 1,554 rushing yards and 21 total touch- downs as a senior in 2023, after rushing for 1,961 yards and 30 TDs as a junior. • Named the 2023 Ohio Mr. Football, the first Wol- verine honored since Charles Woodson in 1994. • U-M's highest-rated 2023 signee slotted as the 87th overall player in the country, the fourth-best running back nationally and the No. 3 player in Ohio, per the On3 Industry Ranking. SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 24 Cole Cabana RB 6-0 198 So. 22 Tavierre Dunlap RB 6-0 229 Sr. 7 Donovan Edwards RB 6-1 210 Sr. 28 Benjamin Hall RB 5-11 234 So. — Micah Ka'apana RB 5-11 190 Fr. — Jordan Marshall RB 5-11 200 Fr. 20 Kalel Mullings RB 6-2 239 Gr.