Top 100 Michigan RB commit Jordan Marshall on Mike Hart: ‘He treats me like a son’

Top 100 Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller running back and Michigan commit Jordan Marshall faced fellow U-M pledge Ted Hammond in Dayton on Friday. It wasn’t the first time the future Wolverines have squared off and it likely won’t be the last before their enrollments.

“It means the world,” Marshall told The Wolverine. “(Hammond) is a monster. The coolest thing was at the beginning, with the captains going up (to midfield) and dapping each other up. That’s the thing about Michigan. You have captains all over. It’s the leaders. I really respect Ted.”

Marshall and Hammond have been close friends well beyond high school. In fact, they each share a passion for country music and regularly attend festivals together. While Friday’s game set the stage for the two to be opponents, it also allowed two brothers to embrace, which, according to Marshall, is everything.

“It’s crazy,” Marshall said. “We’ll go back and text each other, ‘I love you.’ (Hammond is) my guy and it’s so crazy to see how tight we are. We all love being with each other.”

Marshall finished with 25 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown in the 20-10 win. Through five games this season, he’s compiled 83 touches for 761 yards and eight touchdowns. Before the No. 2 overall running back in the country, per On3, wraps up his final campaign with Archbishop Moeller, shoring up technique in all aspects is Marshall’s focus.

“We’re just getting better as a team and that’s the main goal,” Marshall said. “We started off rough, but we knew this was the time to flip the switch in the GCL and get rolling. I would say pass blocking has been big for me. I want to pass block at a really high level. I can run and catch at a high level, but I know pass blocking would take my game to the next level.”

While en route to another deep playoff run, Marshall’s communication with Michigan running backs coach Mike Hart has transpired daily. They last reunited in person last July for the annual BBQ at The Big House.

Hart’s persistence and efforts on the trail while Marshall was a top target became a significant factor in the latter committing to the Wolverines this past March. The respect level that Hart has garnered from Marshall mirrors how the senior’s loved ones view him, especially Marshall’s mother, who also regularly speaks to Hart over the phone.

“(Hart) really lets me do my thing, which I love, and then we connect on Sundays,” Marshall said. “I’m just excited to be with him. He treats me like a son and that’s so important to me. He wants the best for me on and off the field and I’m so appreciative of him and his family.”

Through the first three Michigan games this season, Marshall has been keeping close tabs on the team’s balanced approach within the offense.

“It’s been so 50/50 and I love it,” Marshall said. “JJ (McCarthy) has been slinging that thing. Blake (Corum) and Donovan (Edwards) are running that thing. They’re doing whatever they can to help the team win and that’s what is most important. That’s why I love Michigan.”

The excitement of joining an elite running back room under the tutelage of Hart is something that Marshall thinks about often. When the 5-foot-10.5, 200-pounder returns to Ann Arbor for a game, he’ll monitor what helped spurn interest during his recruitment.

“They’re all monsters,” Marshall said. “It’s hard not to put all of them on the field, so I’m just excited to keep watching guys like Ben (Hall), who’s my guy, get some carries and do his thing. (Corum and Donovan) run hard. That o-line is a monster and (the running backs) are physical dudes. I love watching them.”

Marshall, who’s also ranked as the No. 31 overall prospect nationally and No. 2 player in Ohio, per On3, is expected to enroll at Michigan next June.

The post Top 100 Michigan RB commit Jordan Marshall on Mike Hart: ‘He treats me like a son’ appeared first on On3.