Michigan Football: The curious case of Thunder and Lightning
Hassan Haskins 📌Eureka, Missouri (3-Star)
Hassan Haskins started and finished his High School career at Eureka High School in Eureka, Missouri. Haskins was a 3 sport athlete playing Football, Basketball, and Track & Field. Haskins had about 9 offers stemming from Purdue to Missouri State and a few MAC schools. While he was not heavily recruited, he still had three stars attached to his name.
Haskins never took a visit to any of those schools though, instead, he chose to take a visit nearly 2 weeks after being offered by the Michigan Wolverines, the next day he committed. Haskins was recruited by Jay Harbaugh and was the 17th ranked recruit in a 20 recruit class by the Wolverines.
With something to prove, Haskins never shied away from a challenge proving why he deserved to be in the room. When Haskins arrived, he entered a full running back room that featured players like Karan Higdon, Chris Evans, and Christian Turner. Hassan Haskins however accepted the challenge and went to work.
Learning with every rep and gaining more and more knowledge on how to exploit defenses, a monster was brewing in the backfield for the Wolverines.
After Evans was suspended, Haskins got his shot and he made it count against Notre Dame, even hurdling a defender while at it. Capitalizing on opportunities and performing at a consistent level early on had Harbaugh sold.
Most Michigan fans who were very tuned in with the team understood the talent that Haskins had, however, the national media had not yet been put on to one of the key contributors of the most special season in recent Michigan football history.
Haskins exploded this season being the face of the offense, while he and Corum would alternate in a system curated to their strengths which created one of the best rushing offenses in the country.
Haskins had the spotlight on him now but he had yet to eclipse infamy in Michigan History. That all changed when he rushed for five touchdowns against the Buckeyes in Michigan’s first win against Ohio State in roughly a decade.
We don’t know how Haskins is going to finish his career off. But what we do know is that Haskins name will forever go down as one of, if not the greatest single-game performances by a running back in Michigan Football history, and the cherry on top — it was against the Buckeyes.
Accolades at Michigan (via mgoblue.com)
• Two-time All-Big Ten honoree (consensus first team, 2021; honorable mention, coaches and media, 2019)
• Voted an alternate captain by his teammates (2021)
• Three-year letterman (2018-19-20)
• Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 29, 2021)
Career Rushing Highs (via mgoblue.com)
• Attempts: 27, 2x – last vs. Indiana (Nov. 6, 2021)
• Yards: 169 – vs. Ohio State (Nov. 27, 2021)
• Touchdowns: 5 – vs. Ohio State (Nov. 27, 2021)
• Long: 66 – at Minnesota (Oct. 24, 2020)