Michigan’s freshman back Savion Hiter keeps flashing like a player who won’t need much time to make noise in Ann Arbor.
The five-star recruit has been turning heads since he arrived, and the buzz only seems to be growing as fall camp rolls on. Hiter, the No. 12 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class according to the 247 Sports composite rankings, enrolled early and was already showing some pop during Michigan’s spring game. Now, with the season drawing closer, he appears to be picking things up even faster.
On Saturday, Michigan held a scrimmage with the opener against Western Michigan nearing, and the program posted a clip that appeared to show Hiter breaking off a long touchdown run. The video came with the message, “Ramping up the intensity 📈”
All of that only adds to the optimism around a Michigan backfield that head coach Kyle Whittingham believes could be the best in college football this season, or at least the best in the Big Ten.
That’s not an empty boast. Jordan Marshall already showed what he can do, averaging 6.9 yards per carry during Big Ten play last season.
With an improved offensive line in front of him, the Ohio native could be even more dangerous this fall. Whittingham’s confidence in the group makes sense, especially when you stack Marshall next to a freshman like Hiter, who by all accounts has the talent to become one of the most gifted running backs in Michigan history.
The big question, of course, is how it all translates once the games count. Hiter still has to prove it on the field. But if he keeps trending the way he has in camp, he could push Marshall for the top spot among Big Ten backs by season’s end.
Whittingham has been consistent in his praise since Hiter arrived in the spring, and nothing about that stance seems to have changed. And with Bryce Underwood carrying plenty of expectations, Michigan’s offense has a chance to look a lot better if the quarterback takes even a modest step forward and gets involved in the run game. Add Hiter to that mix, and the Wolverines have a shot to be as good as anyone at running the football.
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Inside the building, the early signs have been encouraging enough that the conversation around the position is starting to shift. Defensive tackle Enow Etta pointed to strong camp work from Staehling along with Troy Bowles, Chase Taylor and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, a group that has helped change the tone around what had been viewed as a vulnerable spot. Staehling, in particular, has been one of the names to watch as camp develops and the depth chart begins to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
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Michigan Is Fueling A Debate Wolverines Fans Never Ignore
As fall camp rolled on, Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham and quarterback Bryce Underwood offered a surprisingly measured tone when the subject turned to Ohio State. Whittingham said he does not hate the Buckeyes and framed the season around a one-game-at-a-time approach, while Underwoods first reaction to his experience in The Game came off to some as a little too relaxed for a rivalry that usually dominates the conversation in Ann Arbor.
For Wolverines fans, the reaction is almost as predictable as the matchup itself. Michigan-Ohio State is the kind of rivalry that rarely allows for nuance, so any public softening of the edges tends to spark debate fast. Whether these comments reflect how the program truly feels or just a deliberate effort to keep the message calm and controlled is the part that still lingers. [Read more 🡒]