Michigan Offense: Running Back

"Petey Jones, running back.

The running back, y'all!"

With Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown gone, the running back duties will more than likely fall to several players rather than one lead back.

Vincent Smith would have been the prohibitive favorite to be the starting running back if he wasn’t coming off of ACL surgery in the offseason.  Late last season Smith showed an ability to run hard and was a reliable receiver out of the backfield.  Smith has been declared 100% healthy and has performed well so far in camp.

Fitzgerald Toussaint is a back that can run between the tackles but has the speed to get to the edge and you can expect to see him get a lot of carries this fall. Mike Cox and Stephen Hopkins, a true freshman, will both also get their fair share of carries over the course of the season as they are both bigger backs who could be used in short yardage and goalline situations.

Mike Shaw, the running back with the most experience on the roster, could also be in line to see some carries but lingering academic issues make it uncertain whether he will even be eligible to step on the field for the opener against UConn.

Upshot for 2010:

Michigan has a variety of different options in the backfield with each guy bringing something unique to the table.  Look for Touissant to potentially establish himself as a force given his ability to be both a power/speed rusher.  If Smith has improved from the 2009 season he will definitely be a potential weapon for the Wolverines.  The running backs will all potentially be better if the threat of Robinson’s legs joins them in the backfield and forces defenses to take their focus away from the running backs.

The 2010 preview on the wideout and tight end spot are coming next...