Whittingham Sees Jordan Marshall Finding Rhythm
Michigan’s rushing attack stalls as the coach insists the star back will unlock his potential soon.
The turf at Michigan’s practice facility holds the damp weight of recent rain, the white yard lines stark against the dark green. Jordan Marshall moves through the drills, his cleats biting into the wet surface, but the rhythm is missing. Through two games, his average sits at 3.5 yards per carry, a sharp drop from the 6.2 yards he averaged last season when he racked up 932 yards and ten touchdowns. The physical reality of the field does not lie, but the coaching staff believes the current output is a temporary stumble, not a permanent state.
Kyle Whittingham stands on the sideline, watching the film replay on the monitors. He knows Marshall started slow last year too, but by the final nine games, the back was averaging nearly five yards per carry. The coach sees the same potential now. Marshall has carried the ball twenty times for 57 yards so far this season, a number that demands attention but not panic. Whittingham believes the groove will come, just as it did in the second half of the previous campaign.
Coaching Staff Trusts The Process
Whittingham’s confidence in Marshall is rooted in the back’s leadership and experience. He is the designated number one, a role that requires more than just speed; it demands mental clarity and physical consistency. The coach notes that Marshall’s productivity typically increases as the game wears on, suggesting that the early-season struggles are merely the cost of acclimating to a new offensive scheme. The expectation is clear: the back will find his stride, and the team’s offense will follow.
Depth Chart Remains Active
While Marshall is the focal point, the backfield is not a single-man operation. Savion Hiter, described by Whittingham as a very good back with significant potential, has already found the end zone. He has rushed for 21 yards on 13 carries, showing flashes of the burst that keeps him in the mix. Bryson Kuzdzal also contributes, adding 12 yards on three carries. These players provide the necessary pressure, ensuring that Marshall remains sharp and that the offensive line is constantly tested against different bodies and styles.
Quarterback Carries Lift The Offense
The burden on the backfield is eased, if not entirely removed, by Bryce Underwood’s performance. The quarterback has rushed for 134 yards on 27 carries, scoring twice. His 5.0-yard average per carry makes him the team’s leading ball carrier, a distinction that highlights the offensive line’s struggles to open holes for the dedicated runners. Underwood’s success is a bright spot, but Whittingham insists that the primary responsibility for rushing production belongs to Marshall. The quarterback’s carries are a bonus, not a replacement for the running game that Michigan is built to execute.
As reported by Yahoo Sports, the coaching staff is focused on getting Marshall into a better groove. The offensive line needs to improve its blocking, and the play-calling must find the right balance. But the core belief remains unchanged: Marshall is the engine, and he is about to start running. The early-season numbers are a snapshot, not a verdict. The season is long, and the back has shown before that he can find his form when it matters most.
