The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 11 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Justice Haynes Will Push To Be RB1 By Chris Balas Sherrone Moore wants to run the ball and run it some more — that won't change with Chip Lindsey in charge of the offense. The new Michigan coordi- nator has won with different styles of offense over the years, but he's made it clear he understands what Moore wants, and he plans to provide a heavy dose of "smash" in his first season in Ann Arbor. To do that requires two things — du- rable backs, and more than one capable ball carrier. Sophomore Jordan Mar- shall showed signs of becoming a really good one during the ReliaQuest Bowl win over Alabama, rushing for 100 yards and creating a lot on his own. He also took a lot of shots. Behind him, though, Benjamin Hall struggled to get going as RB2. Enter Alabama transfer Justice Haynes. Though he had his moments with the Crimson Tide, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and scoring 7 touchdowns a year ago, he was never a featured back. He'll likely split carries with Marshall this year and will get his shot this spring to impress. Expect him to make the most of his opportunity. Mikey Keene Will Impress At Quarterback By Clayton Sayfie Fresno State transfer quarterback Mikey Keene has played in 39 games with 34 starts during his college football ca- reer. It'll be an adjustment going from the Mountain West to the Big Ten, but Keene has familiarity with the offensive system, having played for new coordinator Chip Lindsey while at Central Florida in 2022, and he is easily the most experienced sig- nal-caller on the roster. Michigan will divvy up the quarterback reps evenly in the spring, between Keene, sophomore Jadyn Davis and freshman Bryce Underwood. But Keene will generate quite a bit of buzz, we predict, due to his savviness as a veteran and knowledge of what Lindsey is looking for. A lot of attention gets placed on quarterbacks in general, too. Keene's limitations —mobility and dealing with pressure from pass rushers — won't necessarily be put to the test as much as his strengths will be highlighted during practices and scrimmages. At the very least, we expect Keene to come out of spring practices No. 2 in the starting quarterback battle. If his tran- sition to the Power Four goes smoothly, it would take a lot of pressure off Underwood, the five-star-plus freshman. ❱ POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT ❰ WHICH INCOMING TRANSFER WILL GENERATE THE MOST BUZZ THIS SPRING? CALL: 800-421-7751 10:00-4:00 ET, Mon.-Fri. Or call 919-688-0218 if outside the continental U.S. Mailing a check? Please call for details. ORDER ONLINE: www.TheWolverineOnDemand.com Scan this QR Code to start your order! Order 24 hours a day from our online store! Written by the staff of The Wolverine, this commemorative magazine celebrates Michigan's remarkable 2023 season and its 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship run. It includes: ❱ Features on Jim Harbaugh, Blake Corum, J.J. McCarthy, Mike Sainristil, the defensive line and the journey to the title ❱ Great photography ❱ Game-by-game coverage ❱ Columns, stats and much more! ❱ 148 full-color, glossy pages Only $10.00 each Save Even More On Bulk Orders! (Sales tax where applicable) Limited Edition. While supplies last! The hardbound books are sold out! Don't miss out on your last chance to own this piece of Michigan history!. 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPS! S P E C I A L C O M M E M O R A T I V E E D I T I O N P r e s e n t s T H E W O L V E R I N E M A G A Z I N E MAKES A GREAT GIFT! WHILE SUPPLIES LAST MIKEY KEENE JUSTICE HAYNES