Savion Hiter will easily be one of the most exciting freshmen on the field for the Michigan Wolverines this season, and at this point, probably the Big Ten as well. We could take it one step further and say all of college football, too, because what he is showing in fall camp should terrify opposing defenses.
Michigan didn't necessarily need to upgrade the run game, especially with the return of junior running back Jordan Marshall, who nearly eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards without even being the RB1 all season. An upgrade it will get, though, because Hiter is already coming in looking strong in fall camp, even in the simplest of drills.
Rivals will downplay this, especially because it’s just a drill
— Team 147 (@TheTeamAlways) August 12, 2026
But MAN is @5starsavi looking like an absolutely explosive freak of a running back pic.twitter.com/MHOnDxjWl9
Hiter's size and power immediately catch the eye of anyone who watches him on the field. The video above is a great example of that size and power, and yes, it is just a drill, but typically a running back isn't uprooting the blocking sled like that. While Marshall might have speed and agility, Hiter is brute force and breaks tackles until he gets to the second level and is gone.
Now it makes sense why Michigan players were saying they were sore after tackling him during spring practices; who wouldn't be?
Will Savion Hiter make a case for the lion's share of the snaps by the end of the season?
The RB1 position is Jordan Marshall, and honestly, it is his position to lose. Coming in with two years of college football experience, especially working with running backs coach Tony Alford, it's a no-brainer that he takes on the larger load of snaps in this duo backfield.
It does pose the question, though: what happens if Hiter is the better back a few games into the season? Michigan has the chance to have one of the best run games in the country with this backfield, but do Alford and offensive coordinator Jason Beck stick with the pecking order of Marshall and then Hiter, or go with the hot hand?
If Hiter is absolutely tearing through defenses, it would make sense to go with him on the field for the majority of the snaps. It doesn't mean that Marshall isn't used, but he could be more of a passing back while Hiter is used for the rough-and-tough run game that every Big Ten team needs.
It is not unrealistic to think that both Marshall and Hiter could rush for close to, if not over, 1,000 yards this season; it wouldn't be the first time, most recently seen with the Buckeyes in 2024. If Michigan can have an unstoppable run game, it will only take pressure off quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Michigan is going to face some of the toughest defenses in college football with Oklahoma, Oregon, Ohio State, and Iowa on the schedule, including a few other heavy-hitters, so this run game needs to be airtight, and if that means giving Hiter the lion's share of the load, then Beck and Alford will need to make that call.
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