Ann Arbor — They’re not mirror images, but Michigan running backs Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes are pretty similar, not only in terms of style of play but also in their mindsets and approach to the game.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore dubbed them “1A and 1B” heading into preseason camp, and that’s because they’re neck and neck in the competition for the starting job. It’s so close, frankly, naming a starter for the season opener Aug. 30 probably doesn’t mean much because they’ll both see the field plenty this season.
Marshall played in five games last season and in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama, his first career start, he rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries and was named the game’s MVP. Haynes spent his first two seasons with Alabama and made six starts. He rushed for 616 yards on 105 carries and had nine touchdowns and also 17 catches for 99 yards. Both backs are on the “watch” list for the Doak Walker, the annual prize given to the nation’s top back.
They’re not into being labeled as “Thunder and Lightning” like former backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards in 2023 and Kalel Mullings and Edwards in 2024.
“I would describe us as dynamic running backs,” Haynes told reporters on Thursday. “Both can break the game open. Very explosive.”
Marshall, who has said on multiple occasions he admires how Haynes prepares and how he takes care of his body and his focus on nutrition, said they are more similar than different in styles.
“I don't know how much different we are,” Marshall said. “We're both complete backs. We’re balanced from pass-pro to catching the ball to running the ball. We are pretty physical, both of us. We like to make people miss. We like to talk a little smack, but it's been fun just learning from him and learning from his game and picking up on some moves, some things he does, some things off the field, how he prepares. That's something that I really look up to, is just how he prepares, how he gets his body right, and something that I can be better at. And I'm trying to take that from this game and learn from him.”
Both backs made clear that while they seem to be the focus of media attention heading into the season, the running back room is deep and offered praise to the other backs. Haynes referenced comments made to the team Wednesday by former Michigan standout and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard.
“(Howard) said, ‘I've never seen a great player get caught up in greatness,’ and I think that's just a testament to our room,” Haynes said. “If you want to be the best running back in the country, it comes out of the best running back room. And we say it all the time, we want to be the best unit in the country, not just, the best running back unit, but the best overall unit. You look at it, you shouldn't be able to see one leader in the room. We're all leaders. We're all No. 1 running backs, and we all gonna make plays.”
The quarterback competition is ongoing, but the talk has centered all offseason on freshman Bryce Underwood. There are transfer veterans in Jake Garcia and Mikey Keene, but Underwood, who played at nearby Belleville and was the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, has garnered all the attention.
He also will continue to attract attention from defenses this season, which means the running game, Michigan’s offensive bread and butter the last few seasons, will be even more important to take the pressure off him. Marshall spoke about the trash talking from the defensive players during practice as a positive to help build Underwood's mental approach.
“At the end of the day, we're all brothers, and we're making each other better, and we know that other teams are going to do the same thing, so it's good that they're talking to the quarterbacks, to all of them, trying to get in their head,” Marshall said. “Because we're going to have a young quarterback, whichever one it is, me and Justice are going to have to play a big role in making sure our quarterback is staying balanced, their mindset is well and just to help them throughout their game.”
Neither back seems worried about who will be the starting running back.
“I mean, it doesn't matter,” Haynes said. “At the end of the day, we both are gonna get our touches, we both are gonna get our opportunities. It's not really about how many touches you get, who, quote, unquote, is the starter, it's about what you do with the opportunities that you get, making the most out of them. That's something that we both can do just making the most of our opportunities. It don't matter who the starter is, because at the end of the day, it's about the running back room and the running back standard, and we got a standard that we got to uphold. It don't matter who's out there. There's a standard that we got to uphold in that room, and that's what we choose to do.”
Marshall said it’s not about setting individual goals, like total rushing yards and touchdowns.
“We are focused on winning games at the end of the day,” Marshall said. “As long as we're winning games, who cares? And for me, I just want the best out of Justice, and I hope he wants to see the best out of me, and we win a national championship because that's his goal, that's my goal. Beat all our rivals. That's our goals. We don't talk about our goals very much. We just want to push each other and become the best players we can be.”
From what defensive line coach Lou Esposito has seen during preseason camp, the backs may be similar but they both excel at what they do.
“Oh, they're good, man,” Esposito said this week. “They get in the open field, they're fast, they're powerful, they're strong. I think the biggest thing with those two guys is they're both low center of gravity guys that if you give them a little bit of space, they make you pay for it.
“Not only are they athletic and fast, they're rugged. They're physical. They don't walk through the door and you're like, ‘Oh my God, that's a big tailback.’ They’re stout, but they love contact, and that's what makes them good. When you have that combination of contact presence, being able to run through a block, being able to run around somebody, and being able to go the distance, you got a chance to be pretty special.”
Running back moves on
CJ Hester, who spent one season at Western Michigan and another season at UMass before transferring to Michigan in April, has left the program, Michigan football spokesman Dave Ablauf confirmed on Thursday. Hester reportedly will redshirt this season and then enter the transfer portal with two years remaining.
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