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On Monday, Michigan Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke announced that running back Derrick Green had suffered a broken clavicle. That injury will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the 2014 season, leaving Michigan to reassess how to approach their rushing attack.
As Kevin McGuire of NBC's College Football Talk points out, Michigan needs to put their heads together to find a way to replace Green's production:
Without Green, a player who had been showing promise this season, Michigan will need to find ways to run the football that do not necessarily revolve around quarterback Devin Gardner. Gardner has returned to the starting job under center after the injury to Shane Morris, and Hoke is ready to continue having Gardner lead the offense as long as he is healthy. If the Wolverines are going to turn things around this season and make a run to a postseason bowl game, the running game needs to improve.
Currently Michigan ranks 7th in the Big Ten with 180.83 rushing yards per game and an average of 5.05 yards per carry. Green ends his 2014 season with 471 yards and three touchdowns, accounting for a huge portion of Michigan's work on the ground.
In order for Michigan's rushing game to stay above water, De'Veon Smith, Justice Hayes, and Drake Johnson will all have to chip in as they see their carries and field time increase.
If they can impress in the extended roles, Michigan might be able to put together enough of a running game to stay the course for the remainder of 2014.
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