Michigan's Benjamin Hall intent on being 'not only future running back, but future leader of this team'

Michigan Wolverines football isn’t having the type of season it expected. The Maize and Blue lost 18 scholarship players and most of their coaching staff from the national championship run in 2023 to the NFL, and they’ll see dozens more members of that group graduate following a dismal 2024 campaign.

Still, plenty who have seen Michigan reach its highest point in decades have eligibility remaining, including sophomore running back Benjamin Hall — and he’s ready to take advantage by stepping into a prominent role both as a player and a leader.

With Michigan’s two leading rushers — graduate Kalel Mullings and senior Donovan Edwards — set to take the next step to the NFL, Hall is expected to compete for the team’s starting running back job. He not only desires more carries, but also to help lead Michigan on a resurgence.

“Not only future running back, but future leader of this team,” Hall said of what he hopes to become. “I want to personally make sure that we’re getting back on track and making sure we handle things the way Michigan should, because our culture here is running the ball, being physical and being a hard-nosed team. I feel like I have the ability to do that and get us back on track.”

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore has lauded Hall’s practice performances, which led to him getting 4 carries in a 20-15 loss at Indiana Nov. 9. His brand has been the effort he’s put forth.

“You hear Coach Moore crediting me for going hard in practice — that’s the way I like to lead, going as hard as I can and bringing other guys with me,” he said.

“I just go out there every day and go as hard as I can. I think that’s been my story here — just working hard. So just continuing to do that day in and day out, and just seeing what I can do with it.”

Hall believes that the way he had practiced leading into the game in Bloomington spoke such volumes that it was a given he’d have a role.

“I think it was more like a boiling point thing, where they couldn’t deny the practice tape,” Hall said. “So I just hope I get the opportunities to go out there and help this team win games.”

Since then, during the Wolverines’ bye week and ahead of the final two regular-season games, Hall has made it even more of a point to set the tone for Michigan.

“The biggest thing for me, I wanted to step into that leadership role,” Hall said of the off week. “I’ve been trying to become more vocal, so at practice, just getting guys riled up, getting guys going, making sure we’re not starting slow.

“The biggest thing I’ve been trying to work on is being more vocal as a leader, and letting my play do the talking as well.”

There could be a lot of moving parts when Michigan’s season ends, whether that be after the regular season or following a bowl game. The transfer portal will open Dec. 9, and no matter how successful a team is, assistant coaches and support staffers come and go as well. Hall understands the importance of beginning his ascension as a leader right away.

“It’s gonna be huge,” the 5-foot-11, 235-pound Acworth, Ga., native said. “We’ll have people retained as leaders, but definitely someone has to step up and take the reins of this team and make sure that we’re doing everything we can to get back on track, working hard, going hard, learning the game. I’d definitely want to be one of those guys.”

He’s seen many teammates do it in the past, after all.

“Definitely [running back] Blake Corum, [quarterback] J.J. McCarthy,” Hall said of some of the top leaders he’s observed. “[Senior fullback / tight end] Max Bredeson has been huge.

“They’re all around. I could name a million guys on the team right now that are leaders. You’re surrounded by great men who can do great things, and you’re constantly learning.”

Benjamin Hall can do it all, is ‘slippery’

Hall said he’s a complete back that can impact the game in a number of different ways.

“I like to think I can do a little bit of everything,” Hall said. “You turn on the tape, and you can see I can catch out of the backfield, can run down hill, make plays with the ball in my hand. I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do, so I think that my biggest thing is just being able to do a little bit of everything.”

Hall agreed with a question that included the premise that he’s a “slippery” runner, and he said a lot of the work he’s put in has allowed him to be so elusive.

“I could agree with that,” he remarked. “Countless hours of just hard work, working on my craft, just getting better. It takes reps to do stuff like that, and just getting comfortable out there, playing with confidence.

“I can credit that to the guys in front of me, just giving me that confidence with the practice reps I’m getting. I can definitely agree with that.”

Hall and Co. are attempting to not get frustrated with the record this season, focusing on the work to finish the season strong and come back even better in 2025.

“Our record may not reflect it, but we’re constantly growing as a team, as men and growing closer together,” the Michigan running back said. “I think that this year was just … [former Michigan head] Coach [Jim] Harbaugh liked to call it the law of averages. When you’re winning so much, at some point you’re bound to lose.

“I think this year was just a big learning year for us as a team — players, coaches and staff — and we’re gonna get back on track, no doubt.”