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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Schools like Michigan breed competition and if you're not willing to compete, Ann Arbor might not be the place for you.
At least that's how second-year tailback Jordan Marshall sees it.
Michigan football brought in a ringer in the running back room this offseason, accepting the transfer of former five-star and Alabama running back Justice Haynes. Once he hit the transfer portal market, Haynes became a hot commodity, especially considering 2025 is likely the year he breaks out after a promising showing as a reserve in 2024. Yet, after a breakout game against Haynes' former team, the Crimson Tide, in the ReliaQuest Bowl, you'd think that Marshall would be brimming at the notion of another stud tailback coming in.
But it's not the case. With the added competition, Marshall is sure that this will push him to be better rather than resting on his laurels from one standout performance.
"I was excited," Marshall said of Haynes coming to the Wolverines. "After that game, you can get complacent. I'm the guy, this and that. But bringing him in, it makes me wanna boost myself and be a better player. And just to learn from him -- he's an older guy. He's experienced from Alabama, playing in the Rose Bowl against Michigan. Just to hear those stories, hear the guys he's been around and been coached by, and obviously see his work ethic, I wanna emulate that, I wanna be like him, I wanna make sure that I'm doing everything I can. And just to have that guy in there to push me to be a better version of myself, I was really excited that he came here."
Now, Marshall has had a few weeks to see what his running back counterpart can do, and though they have differences, he sees a lot of similarities. Thus, teams are going to have a difficult time stopping them both, and as a result, the Wolverines may just have one of the best running back duos in the country -- much like they had in 2022-23 with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards.
"I think he's the whole package," Marshall said. "I think he's just like me, three down. He can catch, he can pass block, he can run. And when you have two all-purpose backs that can do everything, that's scary.
"We have the opportunity to be one of the best running back, I would say, rooms and groups in the country. So that's what we, every time we step in that meeting room, that's our mindset, is to be the best position group in the country and to lead this team."
Regardless, Marshall doesn't really concern himself with the idea of which tailback is the first one out on the field. If it's him -- great. If it's Haynes? Also great.
Both are going to get ample opportunities throughout the year, and both can help the maize and blue win games. The latter part is what's most important to Marshall; thus if Haynes can help the Wolverines end up in the win column by being the starter, then Marshall is all for it.
"It doesn't matter to me," Marshall said. "I'd love to start. I don't care to start. Just like I said, I wanna win games. At the end of the day, you come here to go 13-0, win a national championship or whatever it is, 15, whatever it is now. But I just wanna win games, and I think there's gonna be a rotation of more than just two guys. We have enough guys that can go out there and play really good ball, and just like I said, there's no drop off. So it's exciting, and wherever I fall in that and can help this team win is what I'm gonna do."
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Why Michigan football RB Jordan Marshall is happy Justice Haynes came
Continue reading...
At least that's how second-year tailback Jordan Marshall sees it.
Michigan football brought in a ringer in the running back room this offseason, accepting the transfer of former five-star and Alabama running back Justice Haynes. Once he hit the transfer portal market, Haynes became a hot commodity, especially considering 2025 is likely the year he breaks out after a promising showing as a reserve in 2024. Yet, after a breakout game against Haynes' former team, the Crimson Tide, in the ReliaQuest Bowl, you'd think that Marshall would be brimming at the notion of another stud tailback coming in.
But it's not the case. With the added competition, Marshall is sure that this will push him to be better rather than resting on his laurels from one standout performance.
"I was excited," Marshall said of Haynes coming to the Wolverines. "After that game, you can get complacent. I'm the guy, this and that. But bringing him in, it makes me wanna boost myself and be a better player. And just to learn from him -- he's an older guy. He's experienced from Alabama, playing in the Rose Bowl against Michigan. Just to hear those stories, hear the guys he's been around and been coached by, and obviously see his work ethic, I wanna emulate that, I wanna be like him, I wanna make sure that I'm doing everything I can. And just to have that guy in there to push me to be a better version of myself, I was really excited that he came here."
Now, Marshall has had a few weeks to see what his running back counterpart can do, and though they have differences, he sees a lot of similarities. Thus, teams are going to have a difficult time stopping them both, and as a result, the Wolverines may just have one of the best running back duos in the country -- much like they had in 2022-23 with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards.
"I think he's the whole package," Marshall said. "I think he's just like me, three down. He can catch, he can pass block, he can run. And when you have two all-purpose backs that can do everything, that's scary.
"We have the opportunity to be one of the best running back, I would say, rooms and groups in the country. So that's what we, every time we step in that meeting room, that's our mindset, is to be the best position group in the country and to lead this team."
Regardless, Marshall doesn't really concern himself with the idea of which tailback is the first one out on the field. If it's him -- great. If it's Haynes? Also great.
Both are going to get ample opportunities throughout the year, and both can help the maize and blue win games. The latter part is what's most important to Marshall; thus if Haynes can help the Wolverines end up in the win column by being the starter, then Marshall is all for it.
"It doesn't matter to me," Marshall said. "I'd love to start. I don't care to start. Just like I said, I wanna win games. At the end of the day, you come here to go 13-0, win a national championship or whatever it is, 15, whatever it is now. But I just wanna win games, and I think there's gonna be a rotation of more than just two guys. We have enough guys that can go out there and play really good ball, and just like I said, there's no drop off. So it's exciting, and wherever I fall in that and can help this team win is what I'm gonna do."
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Why Michigan football RB Jordan Marshall is happy Justice Haynes came
Continue reading...
