Michigan's offense was, to put it mildly, underwhelming against Minnesota. Yes, the Wolverines amassed 29 points on the way to a last-second victory, but much of that production came (somehow) through the air, and the running game struggled throughout the evening.
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However, one player did have a positive game on the ground against the Golden Gophers, and that player was backup Drake Johnson. Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com handed out a grade of "C+" to the Michigan backs in this game, but in addition to saying that Johnson was the "only running back with a pulse in this game", he had this to say about his performance when compared to his counterparts:
The redshirt junior ran 10 times for 55 yards. Michigan says he's fully healthy, and if he is, then he needs the bulk of the carries right now. Michigan's allowed Johnson to open it up twice this season — on Saturday and against Maryland. Both times he was a difference-maker and a big reason why Michigan was able to win. Ty Isaac dressed and warmed up, but did not see any game action.
While De'Veon Smith has been firmly entrenched as the team's starting running back (at least when healthy) since the opening snap of the season, Johnson simply looks more dynamic right now. He is the more versatile player given his speed and open-field ability, and in recent days, Smith's bruising style has not been as effective, including a 9-carry, 15-yard performance against Minnesota.
It will be very interesting to see how Jim Harbaugh and the offensive staff treat the running back position against Rutgers this week, but if Drake Johnson is ready to go, he might be in line for more work.
