Michigan football: 4 key things to watch for Wolverines against Army

Backfield situation

For a team without a clear-cut starter in the backfield, the Wolverines couldn’t be in a better situation.

Charbonnet was as good as advertised against Middle Tennessee, rushing for 90 yards on eight carries, including a 41-yard burst, and catching two passes for nine yards. He showed off elusiveness, explosiveness, physicality — and best of all, at least to Jim Harbaugh, he showed he can block.

Per Michigan’s coach, he had an unheard-of nine blitz pickups against the Blue Raiders. Running backs’ coach Sherrone Moore had even higher praise.

That doesn’t mean, however, that Charbonnet is “the guy” just yet, and that’s much less a knock on him as it is a credit to Christian Turner and Tru Wilson.

Turner led the team in carries with 11, and Wilson — whose blocking elevated him from walk-on status to earn him a spot in the backfield rotation last season — only recorded two touches Saturday, but deserves credit for a huge, self-sacrificing blitz pickup that gave Shea Patterson enough time to hit Black for a deep bomb in the first quarter.

Charbonnet, Turner and Wilson will all play against Army, and that’s for the better. The Wolverines have enough depth and talent at tailback to avoid excess fatigue, and all three backs offer something slightly different to diversify the offense. Saturday’s game will give us another glimpse at how Michigan chooses to maximize its backfield resources.