Ad Disclosure
Chip Kelly praises former Michigan RB Zach Charbonnet for ‘innate talent’
By Nick Schultz
Published:
Zach Charbonnet was Michigan’s second-leading rusher last year. After transferring to UCLA in the offseason, he’s already making an impact on his new team.
Charbonnet led UCLA with 117 rushing yards on 11 carries and a touchdown in the Bruins’ 38-27 upset victory over then-No. 16 LSU in Week 1. His new head coach, Chip Kelly, couldn’t have been more pleased.
"He's got that innate talent that all the great running backs have."@UCLAFootball Head Coach Chip Kelly talks with @joelklatt about Zach Charbonnet's performance against LSU and how he has impacted the team so far this season 💪🐻 pic.twitter.com/W0rbWvlkG3
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 8, 2021
In 2 years at Michigan, Charbonnet rushed for 850 yards on 168 attempts and found the end zone 12 times. His best season, by far, was his freshman season in 2019 when he tallied 726 yards on 149 carries and 11 touchdowns — a Michigan freshman record.
Transferring to UCLA allowed Charbonnet to move closer to home, and the transition appears to be going well. Michigan’s backfield is also in good shape, as the Wolverines got great performances from Hassan Haskins, Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum in Week 1.
The Bruins will have a week off before they try to build off their upset win against Fresno State on Sept. 18.
Nick Schultz is a columnist and breaking news writer for Saturday Tradition. A 2020 graduate of Loyola Chicago, he covered the Ramblers' 2018 Final Four run from beginning to end and has worked at NBC Sports Chicago. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickSchultz_7.