The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 57 A ll eyes will be on sopho- more quarterback Bryce Underwood when Michi- gan football takes the field against Western Michigan on Sept. 5 in the 2026 season opener. The Wol- verines have been seeking average play from their signal-caller since J.J. McCarthy and hope that Un- derwood starts to fulfill his tan- talizing potential as the former No. 1 overall prospect in his class. Underwood's progress will be the most pivotal factor to whether U-M can clinch a bid for the Col- lege Football Playoff. While Underwood may deter- mine the ceiling of the Maize and Blue, U-M's running back room — led by junior Jordan Marshall and accentuated by true fresh- man Savion Hiter and senior walk-on Bryson Kuzdzal – sets the floor of this team's caliber very high and gives Underwood the chance to flourish. Marshall was one of the best backup running backs in the country in 2025, stepping right in with little to no dropoff after starter Justice Haynes went down with injuries midway through the season. Marshall reeled four straight 100-plus-yard performances during which he posted 142.5 yards per game, 6.8 yards per carry and 7 touchdowns. He finished the season with just shy of 1,000 rushing yards (932) in only 11 contests and registered the 13th-best rushing grade (88.6) according to Pro Football Focus among returning Power Four running backs who played at least 20 percent of their team's snaps. Marshall did not have Haynes' top- end speed to rattle off as many explo- sives, but he was a workhorse. He knew how to navigate the gaps, burst through them and use his massive legs to move the pile forward. With Haynes' transfer to Georgia Tech, it is Marshall's time to be the clear starting tailback. And with the additional carries Marshall will pile up, he will vie to be the nation's best running back in 2026. Although Marshall will be U-M's clear starter, there is plenty of talent behind him. Hiter arrived in Ann Ar- bor this year with five stars and was rated as the best running back pros- pect in his class. A physical specimen who has all the tools with his change of direction, burst, vision and body type, Hiter even has drawn comparisons to Atlanta Falcons and former Texas star Bijan Robinson. While such compari- sons may be unfair this early in his ca- reer, Hiter has the mold to be a special player and reportedly has showcased that during the summer and now in fall camp. Hiter should slide right into Marshall's old spot as the No. 2 tail- back that gets a handful of carries and is a threat with the ball when Marshall needs a breather. Kuzdzal is also about as good as a No. 3 running back can be, having registered 100 yards and 3 touchdowns against Maryland after Marshall's campaign also was cut short by injury. Kuzdzal fared well with his limited time and pro- vides the Wolverines a safety net in the backfield. With the talent Michigan has at running back and the big bod- ies it has along the offensive line, it should expect to run the ball as frequently as it has in years past. U-M was 17th in rush play percentage in 2023 (59.57), 15th in 2024 (60.00) and 24th in 2025 (57.93). Even with an overhaul of the coaching staff, that should not change. Head coach Kyle Whittingham's former program, Utah, is one of the few that dedi- cated more time to toting the rock than Michigan. Last season, the Utes were 18th in run play per- centage (59.57). More important, they were one of the best at it, too. The Utes led the nation in rushing yards per carry with 6.02, with a sizable gap between them and Navy in second place (5.76). In other words, Whittingham knows how to run the ball — and that won't change with Marshall, Hiter and Kuzdzal. With their skill set and the number of touches they should get, Marshall and Hiter have the potential to become one of the best running back tandems in college football this season. They are not at the top of the list to start the sea- son because other schools boast some excellent combinations, too. Missouri (Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts), Texas (Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown) and Oregon (Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr.) hold the top spots for now due to their experience. However, Marshall and Hiter have the potential to surge past them this year. If they do, Marshall and Hiter can be held in the same regard as some other notable recent Michigan running back duos (Blake Corum and Donovan Ed- wards, Hassan Haskins and Corum) and give Underwood the help and support he needs to make this Michigan offense dangerous all around. ❑ INSIDE THE NUMBERS ❱ DREW HALLETT Jordan Marshall Will Lead The Way Marshall ran for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 6.2 yards a carry, last season, primarily as a backup to Justice Haynes. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Staff writer Drew Hallett has covered Michigan athletics since 2013. Contact him at drew.c.hallett@gmail.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @DrewCHallett.