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Former Michigan Football Running Back Chris Howard Talks About 2023 Wolverines

By Chad Fisher

22 Nov 1997: Tailback Chris Howard of the Michigan Wolverines (left) runs with the ball as linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes (right) runs toward him during a game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 20-
22 Nov 1997: Tailback Chris Howard of the Michigan Wolverines (left) runs with the ball as linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes (right) runs toward him during a game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 20- /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – APRIL 01: Benjamin Hall #28 of the Blue Team runs the ball up field against RJ Moten #6 of the Maize Team during the third quarter of the Michigan Spring football game at Michigan Stadium on April 1, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI – APRIL 01: Benjamin Hall #28 of the Blue Team runs the ball up field against RJ Moten #6 of the Maize Team during the third quarter of the Michigan Spring football game at Michigan Stadium on April 1, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images) /

Who else could emerge at running back for Michigan football?

Howard believes the Michigan football team will look for a third back to emerge and help temper the wear and tear on Corum and Edwards.

“As far as who can be that third back, Benjamin Hall had a really good spring. One thing we’ve learned from (running backs coach) Mike Hart is if you put the ball on the ground you ain’t gonna play much. And I think that kind of hurt (CJ) Stokes a little bit and opened the door for this third position. It isn’t signed, sealed, and delivered. So, it’s pretty open. I think Hall showed some things. I wouldn’t count out Stokes, I wouldn’t count out (Tavierre) Dunlap. Any of those guys could turn it on at any minute. All it takes really is for the lightbulb to go off and for you to have an opportunity. That’s all it takes,” Howard said.

Does he think the College Football Playoff semifinal game against TCU would’ve turned out differently had Corum been healthy?

“Maybe. Donovan is Donavan. He’s extremely capable of shouldering the load as we’ve seen him do against Ohio State (215 yards) with those big runs.

“I always say that when a team starts doing things that are uncharacteristic of that team, that’s a bad sign. And Michigan started off (against TCU) doing things that were uncharacteristic and that they hadn’t done all season long. Offensively and defensively. At the same time, that’s Blake Corum. That changes the game plan a little bit. That changes how you defend those guys. At the same time you have to give credit to TCU because I think we underestimated their front. They made our offensive linemen look pretty average at times. We thought we were just going to steamroll them, out-physical them like we had done everybody else and that just wasn’t the case,” Howard explained.

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