Is Kalel Mullings passing Donovan Edwards on the depth chart?
Shame on me for creating one of those post-game threads I loathe so much. You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain, right?
I fell asleep early in the game last night (I know, terrible Michigan fan etiquette, though this season has been a snooze-fest), but I did notice something before I dozed off. Kalel got in the game before Donovan. He was also in the game on the early 4th and 1 conversion, on a pass play! Now, I understand the idea of faking the inside handoff on 4th and short to your big moose-back in order to draw the defense in only to flush him out into the flat for an easy conversion, but Kalel being involved in the passing game is new isn't it?
Also I took a look at the box score: Kalel got 8 carries to Donovan's 4 for more than double the yardage. Kalel only had 1 less carry than Blake. Donovan did end up with 3 more catches than Kalel, an important piece of the puzzle.
Anyway, I know its likely an overreaction to one game, but given the way these two players have been playing, I'm inclined to believe the coaches are losing faith in Donovan. We'll see if this trend continues over the next couple weeks, but Donovan needs to get his act together soon or he'll no longer be the Robin to Blake's Batman. More like Alfred Pennyworth.
In a more positive mindset, it is nice having 3 great running backs to give the ball to.
October 8th, 2023 at 12:24 PM ^
I'm sick of these posts. I can bet you that people who think like OP wanted Harbaugh fired in the 2020 covid season
October 8th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
Are you referring to Ace incessantly chanting "Soup?"
October 8th, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
While hindsight is 20/20, the Soup desires of Ace and co. have aged about as badly as the nastiest thing ever to be in my fridge.
October 8th, 2023 at 12:26 PM ^
Mullings and Edwards are different backs with different roles. They’re not really competing on the depth chart. The 4th and 1 conversion was clearly a decoy. Made it look like an obvious run, which plays to our tendencies and slip him out for an easy pass. That’s not him taking away Donovan’s role, that’s catching the defense overplaying a Michigan tendency.
October 8th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
though this season has been a snooze-fest
I stopped reading this post after you called this season a "snooze fest" and you admitted to not even watching the game
October 8th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
yeah, after that pic6 i just knew nothing exciting would happen for the rest of the game and reached for "banky".
October 8th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
Unrelated, I just wanna know when they're gonna start playing the Superman theme song (preferably the old school one from the 70's) when he scores.
October 8th, 2023 at 1:11 PM ^
Who the fuck disliked this? Don't see how this is a controversial take at all.
October 8th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
It reads like "concern trolling" to me
Sorry, I thought you were talking about the thread title post
October 8th, 2023 at 2:10 PM ^
I guess there’s two ways of looking at it:
- Edwards is playing poorly and losing touches to Mullings;
- Mullings is playing well and earning more touches (which have to come from somewhere).
Earlier in the season, #1 seemed like a plausible take. But what appears to actually be happening now is about entirely #2, because Edwards has begun to look pretty much like his normal self over the last two games. So yeah, at this point I’d agree that anyone insisting it’s #1 is concern trolling.
October 8th, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
The first rule of points is…
October 8th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
I’m not sure if he’s passed Edwards on the depth chart, but it does look like the staff has stopped trying to specifically get Edwards into the end zone and that’s a good thing.
I think what we really want to know (but hope we never find out) is if Corum is hurt and can’t play, who would become RB1 and if I had to guess, I would say Mullings but Edwards would also see an increase in playing time.
October 8th, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
Literally no one wants to know anything about anyone potentially getting hurt.
And if you were paying attention last year, you know, when said attempted jinx scenario actually, you know, happened, you’d already know the answer.
October 8th, 2023 at 12:56 PM ^
2x post
October 8th, 2023 at 12:56 PM ^
While he definitely has not supplanted him as the #2, it's clear he has cut into his carries. Let's be honest, Donovan has been awful running the ball this year. Looked a little better last night. Hopefully he keeps building on that
October 8th, 2023 at 1:01 PM ^
Are you really so entitled as to think we need this in a separate thread outside of the snowflakes?
October 8th, 2023 at 3:01 PM ^
Relax dude, I’m not sure that word means what you think it means…
October 8th, 2023 at 1:06 PM ^
Maybe a silly goose, but allegedly NotaDuck.
October 8th, 2023 at 1:06 PM ^
No.
Y'all have to stop with this bullshit. The man took no hits in camp and has looked better every single week, WTF are you even talking about?
October 8th, 2023 at 3:47 PM ^
I love DE, but you can make all the excuses you want for the guy and at the end of the day, he's been overall awful running the ball so far. Im sure hell get riggt but no reason to call it like it "isn't".
October 8th, 2023 at 7:51 PM ^
He hasn't been awful at all. At least not the past two weeks.
He's just now starting to make the right reads, cuts, and accept that not every play is a home run. Early in the year, he was running like he was hunting 70 yard TD runs...yeah, awful was a good word to describe it. He also wasn't accepting contact.
Every week he has improved and he's on his way to his "old self" - Mullings has been AWESOME. His feet and his vision has much improved and the Mike Hart effect is evident. That said, Donovan Edwards has time to get "right" and he's already shown progress. There is no reason to give up on him, just like there was no reason to give up on Corum early on. Every week we see Corum get a little better as well, he's just further along.
If Edwards looks like Corum in week 3, I expect him to get back to form just in time for the MSU game.
October 8th, 2023 at 1:32 PM ^
This should be moot because Edwards should motion and line up in slot. Why they run him up middle is silly.
October 8th, 2023 at 1:58 PM ^
And then people would complain how predictable having Edwards on the field is if he always motions out or it's an outside run.
October 8th, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
Keeps Donovan fresh to wreck havoc in 4Q when the time comes. On his own, Mullings is a legit bruiser to stomp on defenses. What a luxury!
October 8th, 2023 at 2:10 PM ^
I think there is a ton of over analyzing and overthinking the DE situation.He is healthy and looks good.I am happy with the emergence of KM as a between the tackles thumper.
October 8th, 2023 at 2:17 PM ^
I think the Mullings usage just reflects trying to burn clock or use someone other than Corum or Edwards to smash into stacked boxes in short yardage against inferior competition, thereby saving wear and tear on the top backs.
I did really like some of Mullings carries later in the game where he showed pretty good feet and patience. He had a couple of runs that reminded me of A.J. Dillon who you will recall Michigan wanted to turn into a linebacker before he flipped to Boston College to become an excellent big back. I thought Mullings showed some good instincts for a guy who hasn’t played back there a lot.
October 8th, 2023 at 2:23 PM ^
Maybe this staff is doing something really unusual.. developing Kalel to assume Blake’s position on the roster next season. Giving him reps and keeping Blake as fresh s possible. Donovan is a different style back.. and, his place on the roster / depth chart seem secure.
October 8th, 2023 at 2:41 PM ^
You also have to look at touches versus carries.
They throw to Edwards 2 to 6 times per game as well.
October 8th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
He excelled on catching some passes and turning them into important gains. He'll bloom at the perfect time and he knows it.
October 8th, 2023 at 3:28 PM ^
Just had to have your own thread, eh?
No, Mullings is not passing Edwards. They aren't even the same kind of back. Mullings is currently functioning to take some of the inside-the-tackles load off of Corum, because the coaches are clearly trying to keep Corum healthy for November and beyond.
October 8th, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
We are misusing Donovan imo. He’s more of a receiver type, get the ball to him in space. The play calling has not been to his strengths thus far.
October 9th, 2023 at 11:44 AM ^
But Donovan has also missed some open running lanes earlier in the year. a couple of the runs he had on Sat night he was a step away from breaking a big one
October 8th, 2023 at 5:41 PM ^
Edwards also went to the locker room during the first drive. I’m not sure if they pointed this out on the broadcast, but I was at the game and saw him run back in the tunnel early in the first quarter without his helmet on. He looked to be running fine, so I’m not sure what the problem was.
October 8th, 2023 at 11:32 PM ^
No, not even possible.
Mullings wouldn’t be the guy to replace any role Donovan is playing.
That said, Donovan needs to step it up. Regression from Donovan and Blake thus far this year. Understandable thus far given the injuries to both last year.
October 9th, 2023 at 10:20 PM ^
I think they are developing a clear distinction amongst the three backs. Corum is the featured guy that can do a bit of everything. Edwards can kill you as a receiver when matched up against any linebacker, and Mullings is going to just run straight over you.
If Edwards could just get his vision back and assert himself in the run game it could truly make this offense unstoppable but it’s not been close to happening yet.