Sherrone Moore addresses if Kalel Mullings is Michigan's starting RB
Kalel Mullings was the heartbeat of a relentless Michigan rushing attack last weekend against USC. The graduate running back piled up 159 of the Wolverines’ 290 rushing yards in a 27-24 win over the then-No. 11 Trojans, marking his second week in a row with at least 150 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Mullings is already close to doubling his previous single-season career high in rushing yards. Through four games, the Milton Academy product from West Roxbury, Massachusetts, has 429 yards to his name on 53 carries.
Donovan Edwards, who entered the season as the Wolverines’ RB1, is sitting at 224 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 50 attempts. Mullings is averaging significantly more yards per carry (8.1) than Edwards (4.5 yards per carry) so far this year. Plus, Edwards put the ball on the ground against the Trojans.
So Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was asked Monday if Mullings is the team’s starting running back heading into a Week 5 matchup versus Minnesota.
“We’ll see,” Moore said. “I think he earned the right to be in that conversation and talk about it and have those conversations with both of those guys, but those are things we’ll talk about with them. Kalel played a heck of a game, and you can’t deny the effect that he had on the game.
“So we’ll just have those conversations as an offense.”
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Edwards carried the ball 14 times for 74 yards and a touchdown against USC. That score came on a 41-yard run. You can’t take away that breakaway scamper, but it’s worth noting that Edwards averaged a mere 2.54 yards per carry on his other 13 totes.
Moore was asked Monday if he’s fully confident in Edwards or if he’s trying to make sure Edwards maintains his own confidence.
“I’m confident in Donovan,” Moore said bluntly.
Michigan threw for only 32 yards in its triumphant win against USC. Alex Orji made his first career start at quarterback, and the redshirt freshman attempted only 12 passes. He hit on seven of them, although each of those completions were on throws traveling either behind the line of scrimmage or between 0-9 air yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
Orji did, however, add 43 yards on the ground. Thanks to runs of 41, 53 and 63 yards, the Wolverines achieved enough offensive explosion to move the ball and hold off the Trojans.
“That defense is pretty good,” Moore said, “290 yards on the ground, I think we averaged like six yards a carry. So, O-Line definitely played their best game, for sure. I think they averaged like three yards a run before contact, which is pretty good. So if you’re blocking for three yards, that means you probably get four or five. And with Kalel back there, maybe eight. And Donovan averaged five.
“Donovan averaged five yards a carry on 14 carries. He beats himself about the fumble, and he’ll learn from it and never do it again. But he had a pretty good game, too. Kalel just had the game that he had. I thought those guys played well up front, always looking to improve. It’s not a finished product, but they are getting better, and that’s the biggest thing you look for.”