Could Frank Gore Jr. be an option?
Merry Christmas all!
I saw that Frank Gore Jr. put up 328 yards the other day in his bowl game.
What's his eligibility status? Is he able to go pro?
If Corum decides to go, could he be a good transfer candidate given his Dad's relationship with JH?
Sorry if this topic has been examined and I missed it.
December 24th, 2022 at 5:58 AM ^
We have Edwards, I am not sure why so many people keep looking at the shiny lure and want to bite it. We have a stable full of backs, led by THE DON!
December 24th, 2022 at 7:41 AM ^
Because you clearly need more than one RB in this offense. Hell, you need more than one in any offense. OSU even lost their top two backs this year, multiple times, and they don't run like we do.
Edwards didn't dress for THREE games this year (and missed multiple games the year before). Corum missed two, going on four.
Also, Edwards isn't a power back and has openly stated how he sees himself as more of a flex RB...part of the reason he came to Michigan is because we let him play WR (or line him up at RB and throw the ball to him). Not saying he won't run hard or run between the tackles...he will. I'm saying he's not trying to be Hassan Haskins or Derrick Henry.
To that point, Edwards isn't trying to carry the ball 30 times a game. Give him 20-25 carries and 10-15 pass routes either at RB or as a "true" WR and that's where he's most effective.
Even "THE DON" needs someone to share the workload. And those aren't scattered meaningless carries (the ones that don't go to Edwards).
If Corum, one of the best RBs ever, is giving up meaningful carries to Edwards. Who is the '23 Edwards? The 2021 Corum (to Haskins) and 2022 Edwards (to Corum) are MILES better than anyone we have on the roster to play that role next year.
Michigan should have legit National Championship aspirations next year, we could be preseason #1. You better have some depth that can be a 1B and not just a backup. Especially at RB.
December 24th, 2022 at 8:10 AM ^
I think your opinion on the 21-22 Haskins-Corum transition is a little colored by hindsight. I remember a lot of people being worried that Corum wasn't ready to be the feature back, and similarly we all had problems with Edwards' tendency to barrel into LBs rather than using his speed and shiftiness to juke them. We were not confident in our post-Haskins future until we were, and we weren't confident in our post-Courm future until we were.
I don't share your pessimism about those on the roster. I think either Stokes (with a 2nd year in the program) or Mullings (without having to try to be an LB) could easily step up next year to compliment Edwards. I think we already saw flashes from Mullings in the BTCG, and that was after only 2 weeks practicing at RB.
December 24th, 2022 at 8:17 AM ^
Mullings is a very interesting RB candidate.
He showed some flashes in the spring game that were pretty impressive.
Stokes, if he makes the expected jump, will be very good.
Very curious to see Cabana too.
RB's are fine.
December 24th, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
There's a difference between fine and elite. In past years, our RBs would have been caught from behind on those runs that Edwards turned in to touchdowns VS OSU. If we can pick up a proven commodity as a backup, especially with no scholarship limit, I say go for it.
December 24th, 2022 at 11:41 AM ^
We don't get caught from behind anymore. We just run out of bounds.
December 24th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
Copa Cabana needs 20 lbs before becoming effective.
December 24th, 2022 at 12:19 PM ^
Mullings is Haskins 2.0
December 24th, 2022 at 10:22 PM ^
lol how so?
December 24th, 2022 at 8:37 AM ^
Complimenting him is nice and all, but it is probably more useful to complement him than to say nice things about him.
December 24th, 2022 at 9:27 AM ^
THIS. Urban Meyer, for example, plays neither complementary nor complimentary football.
December 24th, 2022 at 11:12 AM ^
Oooh you don’t miss anything. How wonderful your language skills.
December 24th, 2022 at 10:55 AM ^
This right here. Personally, I wonder if Hausmann is replacing Mullings (and not Barrett as many have suggested) as Mullings becomes a full-time RB. I get that he started at Nebraska and why would you leave a starting role to play a back up role (behind Colson) but you never know. People of all ages make decisions we don't understand all the time. Why should this be any different? Besides, he'd only rotate with Colson for one year before Colson is in the league. I don't think it's THAT far of a stretch. With Edwards back, Mullings in the offensive backfield and we have Stokes with another year of development plus Cabana coming in with no pressure to perform early, I like our running back situation, especially with Mike Hart coaching the position.
December 24th, 2022 at 10:21 PM ^
I remember a lot of people thinking Corum should START over Haskins.
Not colored at all. Corum had a ton of hype going into last 21.
December 24th, 2022 at 8:38 AM ^
You're right about needing depth, of course, but I was very impressed by Stokes. He had one (that I can remember) notable fumble which resulted in fewer carries the second half of the season (that and the increasing importance/difficulty of the games, of course), but I thought he showed real burst and surprising quickness for his first year.
I think we're just fine at running back at the moment, regardless of whether Corum stays or goes.
(I have to admit, I'm kind of hoping he goes -- I think running behind this offensive line, a back that gets the lion's share of the carries with the ability of Edwards has a genuine shot at a Heisman. But divide those carries between Edwards and Corum, and ... you get two 850-yard rushers. That's cool, of course, but ... I'm a big fan of Edwards).
December 24th, 2022 at 10:30 AM ^
They seem to have lost confidence in Stokes. Not that we won’t see more of him in the future, but they absolutely could use another quality RB.
December 24th, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
Getting Heisman stats is about the last thing I worry about. The award is all glitter and flash, having nearly nothing to do with who is actually the best college football player.
Whether it's Corum who stays or whether someone else steps up or transfers in, having two or more quality running backs is a must if the #1 goal is to win championships.
December 24th, 2022 at 10:49 AM ^
You're hoping Corum goes? SMH. We would be less of a team without him than with him.
December 24th, 2022 at 4:24 PM ^
Stokes has really quick feet and runs hard. He missed some really well blocked holes this season. That can be a freshman thing that goes away with experience and patience. Or some people just never have that vision. I’m optimistic.
December 24th, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
Yes, of course depth at any position is better, but RB is the least critical. Because it's the position most dependent on other players, and hence is mostly plug and play.
That's why when Corum went down, we still proceeded to put up 45 on OSU. It's the playcalling and OL, mostly.
All else equal, of course you want better RBs and better depth but this is not a concern. Edwards is a great lead back. Some combination of Cabana, Dunlap, Stokes, Mullings, etc would be perfectly fine for depth next year if it came to that. Would we take a Braelon Allen? Asbolutely. Is it make or break for national title? Absolutely not.
The national title will come down to three things next year (in no particular order):
1. Can the OL remain an elite group, either through retention or rebuild (portal signs point to the positive)?
2. Can JJ make a leap in the passing game, particular stretching the field with deep balls?
3. Can the secondary rebuild and be good enough (and might need to be elite)?
The running game will be elite again if #1 happens, and it won't matter who we get if #1 doesn't happen.
Amazingly, I'm not worried about the DL. I think it's going to be elite, given all the returning pieces.
December 24th, 2022 at 4:34 PM ^
I disagree that it is "plug and play." Witness the Illinois game when Corum in the first half had a 100 yd at 6 yd a carry and the second half when Stokes and Gash got stuffed repeatedly.
December 24th, 2022 at 6:09 PM ^
Shoes nailed it. The Illinois game was exhibit A that RB is not "plug and play". The OSU game is exhibit B, when Stokes missed the hole on well-blocked plays, and he was shelved.
The way Michigan plays, we need two, and maybe even three solid backs. If you can get a talented transfer, you take him.
December 24th, 2022 at 7:49 AM ^
Why would Frank Gore Jr. leave Southern Miss where he is the star running back to come to Michigan where he would be the number two running back? If Corum comes back, Gore would be the number three running back.
The 328 yards that he accumulated in the bowl game was against Rice whose football team is the equivalent of an Ivy League team.
December 24th, 2022 at 7:51 AM ^
To win championships would a good reason.
December 24th, 2022 at 7:57 AM ^
Gore would be smart to stay at Southern Miss where he could run up the stats to build up his resume for the NFL draft rather than sit on the bench behind Donavan Edwards.
Having a championship ring does nothing for his NFL draftability.
December 24th, 2022 at 8:12 AM ^
But being 2nd string at UM would keep mileage off his body if he is trying to have a longer NFL career. That's a position where it's not always bad to play fewer college snaps.
December 24th, 2022 at 9:42 AM ^
How many star running backs aspire to transfer to a situation where they will be second string?
December 24th, 2022 at 1:57 PM ^
How about Jahmyr Gibbs this year? He left Georgia Tech where he would have been their star RB to join a platoon and compete for carries on a better 'Bama team. I think second string as a RB is being 3rd or 4th on the depth chart. These days most teams have more than one feature back. Usually its out of necessity and lack of depth options if a player gets 30+ carries in a game.
December 24th, 2022 at 10:51 AM ^
Yeah, I doubt he "would sit on the bench".
December 24th, 2022 at 11:32 AM ^
Yeah, he would probably be standing on the sideline for a better view of Donavan Edwards running for touchdowns.
December 24th, 2022 at 12:57 PM ^
The NFL is smarter than to fall for stats against weak competition. For positions like RB, the NFL doesn't really care about stats at all (except maybe fumbles). They care about measurables. That's it. So Gore could play where ever he wants and the NFL prognosis would be pretty much the same.
December 24th, 2022 at 10:00 AM ^
Rice football may be the equivalent of Ivy League football in the classroom, but not on the field (or in the weight room). Possibly in the community.
December 25th, 2022 at 2:06 AM ^
Because he’ll get 300+ carries at Michigan for a playoff team. And Southern Miss is irrelevant.
December 24th, 2022 at 9:41 AM ^
We have to keep the DON healthy enough to play…need 3 RBs who “could” handle 10 carries a game if needed. Maybe Mullings emerges as 1 next year (he looked quite food to me in spring game).
December 24th, 2022 at 10:20 AM ^
We have one home run back, and a bunch of unproven backs who clearly, as of Corum's injury, were not ready for primetime. Another proven back is an absolute need. We went into this season with two good backs and both missed time with injuries. Last year was the same, and Corum missed half the season.
December 24th, 2022 at 6:18 AM ^
Stable of backs, yes. Quality depth after Edwards, not according to the Illinois game. Stokes looks like he may be a good one, but our Haskins hasn’t popped his head up yet. Mullings may be that guy, but taking a transfer may not be a bad thing.
December 24th, 2022 at 6:21 AM ^
Depends on what Corum’s final decision turns out to be.
December 24th, 2022 at 7:46 AM ^
Exactly, Corum returns...absolutely not. But if he leaves. You need a true 1B.
Just like we've had the past 2 years.
December 24th, 2022 at 6:31 AM ^
I don't think it's possible to have too much depth at RB. As we've seen in the past, there's a lot of attrition at this position - maybe more than most others. Injuries are a big part of that too. Somehow, Harbaugh has managed to plug holes with walk on type guys. But it always makes me kind of uneasy.
December 24th, 2022 at 7:42 AM ^
I don’t know, 2020 felt like an example of too much depth.
December 24th, 2022 at 7:51 AM ^
I think that was not having a true #1 or a Joe Moore Award line (or a QB that could hit a few passes when you sold out against the run).
I think that was more than just Charbonnet, Haskins, Corum, and Evans.
We also didn't have Mike Hart...and he'll just stick with someone.
I'd say all of that played a part in the result.
December 24th, 2022 at 6:44 AM ^
Have to be very judicious with the portal or this culture can get wrecked. I'd focus on superior cornerback play. Leaders with speed that tackle like Will and maybe Jyaire, DJ and Mikey. Most B10 is tough tackling for the secondary but a few are air raid and more air raid come post season. UM has to be better playing both but lean on controlling the trenches.
I believe the Bucknuts lost to UM due to not playing against UM's style everyday in practice and you can't simulate that once a week or partially (Army or Wisconsin in the day). I believe UM plays better against tough pound it running games due to trying to win downs against the two time Joe Moore winners in practice everyday. Some might call the bucks soft as a result.
December 24th, 2022 at 7:48 AM ^
I hear what you are saying, but the starting offense doesn’t go against the starting defense in practice. They go against the scout team that is simulating the opponent’s tendencies.
December 24th, 2022 at 9:32 AM ^
Spring and Fall camp battles and the players quotes where they say they go against their teammates where they refer to them as being tougher than in a game so I doubt those comments are about the scout team. Maybe during the season they never face each other again but I would imagine some overlap unless the scout team players are just that good.
You could be dead right and I am mistaken but am spitballing on comments I have watched them make.
December 24th, 2022 at 11:18 AM ^
Indeed the Nuts are sawft.
December 24th, 2022 at 7:39 AM ^
He’s not going anywhere
December 24th, 2022 at 8:33 AM ^
weeelll, as strong as that looks, he's holding a 'lending tree bowl' trophy which is somewhere between gasparilla and the wasabi fenway bowl in 'shock the nation' importance.
maybe, just maybe he'd like to play for something just a little bit more notable, for a coach that has unparalleled access to the NFL to praise kids and get them drafted. maybe.
December 24th, 2022 at 9:07 AM ^
and if he wants a real cigar he can get a great NIL deal from Maison Edwards in Nickels Arcade.
December 24th, 2022 at 9:22 AM ^
Looks like me after winning my fantasy football championship
December 24th, 2022 at 9:34 AM ^
Nice dreads.