Michigan may not be getting Jordan Marshall at full throttle just yet, but the running back looks likely to be on the field Saturday against Iowa.
Marshall has opened the season with 135 rushing yards and two touchdowns through three games, averaging 4.0 yards per carry. That’s a noticeable step down from the 6.2 yards per carry he posted last season, and Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham pointed to a lingering injury as part of the reason.
“He’s been slowed by a nagging injury,” Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham said on Monday. “He’s not at 100%. That has a lot to do with that.”
Whittingham said there were moments in last Saturday’s game against UTEP when Marshall clearly wasn’t operating at full strength. Still, the coach made it clear the expectation is for Marshall to suit up this week.
“He’s been slowed by a nagging injury,” Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham said on Monday. “He’s not at 100%. That has a lot to do with that.”
Later on Inside Michigan Football, Whittingham added that Marshall will play Saturday “unless there’s a setback.”
“He came out of this game feeling much better than what he came out of last game, so there’s progress there,” Whittingham said.
If Marshall is limited, Michigan will lean more heavily on Savion Hiter, who has already shown he can handle some work. The freshman ran for 62 yards and two touchdowns against UTEP, and Whittingham made it plain that the job belongs to whoever is able to produce.
“It’s a concern, but there’s never any excuses,” Whittingham said of Marshall’s injury. “If you’re out there, you’ve got to produce.
If you’re not able to be out there, it’s next-man-up mentality. That guy’s got to produce.
It’s just part of the game. For the whole rest of the season, guys are going to be bumped and bruised.
You’ve just got to play through it. Deal with it as best you can.”
That matters this week because Iowa’s run defense has been stingy, ranking No. 11 in the nation. Michigan can use all the help it can get from Marshall, especially if he’s closer to the version that was so effective in 2025 rather than the slowed-down one it has seen so far this fall. Savion Hiter is only three games into his freshman season, and while he’s brought plenty of physicality, Michigan shouldn’t need him to carry the entire load just yet.
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