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September 3, 2019 — 3B

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Kick Of 
f

SportsTuesday

Zach Charbonnet shows off 
potential in pass protection

The 
question 
was 
about 
quarterbacks, so naturally, Jim 
Harbaugh wanted to talk about 
running backs.
The Michigan coach had 
already 
heaped 
praise 
on 
freshman 
Zach 
Charbonnet 
following 
Michigan’s 
win 
Saturday night, 
and before that, 
anointed 
him 
the starter in 
the 
backfield. 
The 
action 
spoke 
louder 
than the words 
could anyway.
None of that 
praise 
was 
ill-conceived 
— 
after 
an 
offseason 
of 
questions 
surrounding 
the 
position, 
Charbonnet 
gave 
Michigan 
some answers. He attacked 
the holes that opened up for 
90 yards on eight carries, 
including 
a 
41-yard 
gallop 
during 
which 
he 
blasted 
through the line, got into the 
open field and picked up a 
handful of extra yards once 
Middle 
Tennessee 
State’s 
defense caught up. 
To 
some 
extent, 
that’s 
expected. A top-50 recruit is 
supposed to solve problems on 
the depth chart, or at least make 
himself heard. But perhaps 
not this soon, and perhaps not 
this emphatically. And for all 
he showed running the ball, 
it was his pass protection that 
Harbaugh heaped praise on 
Monday.
“Zach Charbonnet had nine 
pickups in protection, which, 
I don’t think we’ve had a back 
get nine pickups in a protection 
since we’ve been here, one 
single back,” Harbaugh said. 
“And to be 100 percent, nine 

out of nine, that’s like, wow. 
That’s really good.”
Charbonnet’s 
rushing 
ability is important. But pass 
protection is arguably more 
integral to his playing time. 
It’s how Tru Wilson got on the 
field as a walk-on last year, 
and it’s how Charbonnet could 
cement his place as the starter 
this year.
“He just was 
handling 
it, 
with not even 
a 
misstep,” 
Harbaugh 
said. 
“So, 
it’s 
rare. 
That’s rare. I’ve 
had pro guys that 
don’t understand 
the protections 
as well as the 
freshman 
back 
in this game.”
The 
Wolverines’ 
offense 
keeps it simple under, Sean 
McKeon said. They’re playing 
up-tempo, 
looking 
to 
the 
sideline for play calls via 
signals. That does not mean it’s 
easy, especially for a freshman. 
“You gotta scan the whole 
field, basically, to figure out 
who’s blitzing,” said senior 
tight 
end 
Sean 
McKeon, 
explaining the job. “Gotta see 
the offensive line 
calls and points, 
so it’s definitely 
not 
easy 
as 
a 
freshman 
running back.”
McKeon 
said 
that 
Charbonnet’s 
focus 
towards 
football reminds 
him of defensive 
lineman 
Ben 
Mason, which in Schembechler 
Hall is akin to saying that your 
local congressman’s speaking 
ability reminds you of Barack 
Obama. 
Mason’s 
voice 
is 
loud and direct. He is often 

portrayed as every stereotype 
of a football player, holding a 
deep appreciation for football 
and seemingly nothing else.
It’s 
easy 
to 
understand 
why Harbaugh might like it 
if Charbonnet has the same 
disposition.
“It’s just, it’s eye-catching 
with Zach Charbonnet cause it 
just looks like it comes easy to 
him,” Harbaugh said. “It’s like, 
difficult math equations that 
guys just get. And so, it catches 
your attention.”
None of this is to say 
Charbonnet 
will 
suddenly 
become Michigan’s bell cow. 
Christian Turner and Wilson 
competed for the starting job 
throughout camp. Turner got 
the most carries of the three 
on Saturday. Harbaugh liked 
what he saw, highlighting a 
tightrope run on the boundary 
after the game, then again on 
Monday.
Eight 
different 
players 
carried 
the 
ball 
for 
the 
Wolverines, 
and 
even 
accounting 
for 
the 
inevitabilities of a blowout, 
it’s safe to say that Harbaugh 
and Gattis are comfortable 
with their depth. They flashed 
an 
array 
of 
option 
looks, 
jet 
sweeps 
and 
a 
two-
quarterback 
package 
that 
probably 
needed 
work. Even if 
Charbonnet 
is the starter, 
that 
title 
is 
largely 
ceremonial.
But 
that 
reality doesn’t change what 
Charbonnet showed everyone 
on Saturday.
“He’s locked in,” McKeon 
said. “He’s really impressive 
for a freshman.”

ETHAN SEARS
Managing Sports Editor

Hayes creates questions at OT

Eight seconds into the first 
game of his college career, Ryan 
Hayes faced his first test.
Khalil 
Brooks, 
Middle 
Tennessee State’s star linebacker, 
was barreling into the backfield, 
straight toward Shea Patterson’s 
blindside. Looking off a head fake 
from defensive end Malik Manciel, 
the left tackle dropped back, 
stared down the charging Brooks 
and nearly discarded him to the 
turf, allowing Patterson to escape 
the pocket.
Sixty minutes later, Hayes was 
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s 
offensive player of the game.
“He graded out right there 
with Ben Bredeson and Cesar 
(Ruiz) and Mike Onwenu, which 
I thought was really impressive,” 
Harbaugh said. “Ben was a little 
higher, but considering it was 
Ryan’s first start, first game, seeing 
him and the effort that he gave 
and his ability. He made some fine 
blocks, was good with his hands.”
Hayes, a redshirt freshman 
converted 
from 
tight 
end, 
ascended the depth chart after 
a strong offseason in the weight 
room. “To see what he looked 
like from his first day to Saturday, 
it’s like night and day,” redshirt 

freshman 
right 
tackle 
Jalen 
Mayfield said Monday.
Despite his strong offseason, 
Hayes came into Saturday as 
the clear backup, stuck behind 
fifth-year senior Jon Runyan at 
left tackle until an injury held 
Runyan out of the season-opener. 
Across a line anchored by three 
returning starters on the interior, 
Mayfield saw his first career start 
at right tackle through similar 
circumstances, 
breaking 
into 
the starting lineup after Andrew 
Steuber’s preseason ACL tear.
Now, on the back of Hayes’ 
performance, a starting offensive 
line that seemed to be set once 
Steuber went down has been 
cast into doubt again. Monday 
afternoon, 
Harbaugh 
called 
Runyan 
“arguably 
our 
best 
lineman” 
but 
admitted 
the 
position is a meritocracy, also 
noting Hayes’ ability to slot in at 
right tackle.
“Is there ability to compete at 
the other tackle spot? Sure, that 
opens up options if he’s come 
this far, he’s playing this well,” 
Harbaugh said. “Bodes well for 
the team.”
According 
to 
Harbaugh, 
Mayfield didn’t grade out as high 
as Hayes — hence the possibility 
Hayes could move to the right side 
of the line after Runyan returns. 

Mayfield got beat on a stunt for 
a third-quarter sack and seven 
minutes later to the outside for a 
quarterback hurry.
Still, he remained a steady 
presence on an offensive line 
that Harbaugh and Patterson 
repeatedly credited postgame.
“I think we did really well, first 
game, we were very prepared,” 
Mayfield said. “Extremely excited 
to see what we can do in the future, 
too. This was our first ever game 
as two redshirt freshmen playing 
at tackle so I think that’s really 
interesting that we did really well.”
But while it was the two 
redshirt freshmen who stood out 
considering the circumstances, 
Mayfield 
credited 
Michigan’s 
experience 
on 
the 
interior 
offensive line as the catalyst for 
his and Hayes’ performances 
Saturday night.
On the first play of the game, as 
Hayes threw Brooks to the turf, 
Mayfield handled his assignment 
with ease. The nerves, though, 
permeated until he remembered 
the advice Bredeson gave him 
before the game: play confident 
and have fun.
“The veteran group of guys in 
the middle just helped us a ton,” 
Mayfield said. “Cesar (Ruiz), Mike 
(Onwenu) and Ben (Bredeson). 
And I think sky’s the limit for us.”

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily
Freshman running back Zach Charbonnet was perfect in pass protection, going 9-for-9 against Middle Tennessee State.

Nine out of 
nine, that’s like, 
wow. That’s 
really good.

I’ve had pro 
guys that don’t 
understand the 
protections.

THEO MACKIE
Daily Sports Editor

ALEC COHEN/Daily
Redshirt freshman Ryan Hayes made his first career start on Saturday against MTSU, filling in for Jon Runyan Jr..

