In the Trenches: Man of Few Words, Haskins' Actions on Field Speak Volumes
11/10/2021 9:00:00 AM | Football, Features
On this week's edition of the "In the Trenches" podcast, Jon Jansen welcomes running back Hassan Haskins after his career performance last week against Indiana. Haskins discusses his recent success and the increased attention around him, along with the mindset of the team heading to Penn State this weekend.
By Brian Boesch
Hassan Haskins is unassuming and quiet. Rarely has he been the center of attention in his football career. A former three-star recruit out of St. Louis, Haskins came to Michigan as a running back, though he was quickly molded into a linebacker. Just as quickly, the Wolverines' staff decided to return Haskins to his original position, and he has continued to climb the depth chart ever since.
The changes, and the talented competition around him, did not faze Haskins. He has never been the sole focal point of Michigan's offensive attack, though he has been part of an incredibly productive one-two punch with Blake Corum. Throughout his career, though, Haskins' efficiency has stood out. He has averaged at least five yards per carry in each of his last three seasons. In all, Haskins is just 174 yards shy of 2,000 for his career.
"I just told myself, 'I gotta get on this field. I gotta help this team win any way possible'," Haskins recalled with Jon Jansen on this week's edition of the "In the Trenches" podcast.
Haskins has done exactly that, especially on Saturday against Indiana. With Corum leaving in the first quarter due to injury, and Donovan Edwards ruled out before the game started, Haskins finally had an opportunity to lead a backfield by himself. He seized the opportunity by logging a career-high 168 rushing yards, along with his 11th touchdown of the season. Haskins has now reached the end zone in seven of the Wolverines' first nine games, utilizing a tremendous blend of size and speed to either run through defenders or hurdle over them.
"I'm determined to get extra yards," Haskins said. "I'm determined not to get tackled. I'm just determined to do those things, and I just keep pushing."
Haskins' teammates appreciate that determination. Even though Haskins is a man of few words during a game or practice, the team still feeds off his play.
"There are leaders that everybody kind of looks for what they said -- what's the motivational thing they said," head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "Most of the great leaders -- their actions speak so loudly that you can't even hear what they're saying, or not saying. Hassan is that. It's always (that) his actions speak so loudly."
With three games left in the regular season, Michigan's actions must speak loudly for the team to reach Indianapolis and the Big Ten Championship. The Wolverines have back-to-back road games at Penn State and Maryland before Ohio State comes to town the final weekend of November. The time for talking is over, which fits Haskins and the Wolverines well.
"Take each week one at a time," Haskins said. "We're very determined to win, and we think we got a very good team. It's win or die trying, like Coach Harbaugh said. We definitely got that mindset, and we're really confident with each other."
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