Michigan assistant Mike Hart assesses No. 3 RB competition, depth: 'I'm not really worried'
Michigan Wolverines football senior Kalel Mullings started the season as the team’s third running back behind senior Blake Corum and junior Donovan Edwards, who make up what’s considered to be one of the nation’s top backfield duos. A converted linebacker, Mullings has emerged since switching to offense on a permanent basis at the end of the 2022 season.
“Kalel is really, really good — he just has Donovan and Blake ahead of him right now, which are two draft picks,” Michigan run game coordinator and running backs coach Mike Hart said Monday. “But he’s fast, he’s big, he’s quick. He can catch, as well.
“Just really, really happy to have him full time. I look at him like he’s really a freshman to sophomore based on him being a running back. He’s a senior as a running back, but he’s really a freshman. He’s super athletic.”
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Mullings ran 3 times for 14 yards in Michigan’s 30-3 season-opening win over East Carolina last Saturday. On a 3rd and 13 in the fourth quarter, he darted 12 yards to make it 4th and short, before the Wolverines had a false start and wound up attempting, and missing, a 52-yard field goal.
“The runs he had in the game were phenomenal,” Hart continued. “Really, really trust him. He’s great on third down, can pass pro. And he does bring that different dynamic of, he’s 230 pounds. It’s good to have him, and we’re gonna get him as many touches as we can based on how the game’s going.”
Freshman Benjamin Hall, the star of Michigan’s spring game, was next up behind Mullings. He ran 2 times for 2 yards. Hart has loved what he’s seen from Hall since the former three-star recruit showed up to campus in January.
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“Ben is 240. Ben is probably bigger than Kalel, to be honest with you,” Hart said, noting that the two have similar skill sets. “So just physical, downhill running backs that get the job done. Kalel and Ben both have really good feet, they’re both quick. Kalel is faster than Ben, but Ben is a special back, as well.”
Michigan sophomore CJ Stokes, who thrived in mop-up duty in multiple contests last season, also saw time, with 2 rushes for 6 yards, including a 7-yarder. Freshman Cole Cabana and junior Tavierre Dunlap also remain in the mix for carries, though both missed Saturday’s game with injury.
“I think we have four No. 3 backs, to be honest with you,” Hart said. “I’m not really worried about it. If you asked me that question last year, it would’ve been a little bit more of a concern with the unknown — ‘who’s the fourth back? Is CJ going to be ready to go? He’s a true freshman.’
“We’re deep. I feel really good about the backfield position. I’m comfortable with CJ going in the game, Ben going in the game, Kalel going in the game, Tavi Dunlap, when he gets back. He had a great fall camp. All those guys can play. Cole Cabana, he can play. It’s just being smart and using them in the right situations, but I’m not really worried about who the third back is, because I trust them all to do what they need to do based on the game situations.”
