Cincinnati — Jordan Marshall stood on the field at Moeller High School, where he became a leader, a top running back, and, eventually, won the prestigious Ohio Mr. Football Award three years ago, and smiled as the 300 kids who signed up for his camp, along with former and current Moeller players, started to organize themselves to run drills.
He remains popular here despite choosing to attend Michigan and not Ohio State and thanked the parents and kids for continuing to support him even though he bypassed Columbus for Ann Arbor.
This is the second year Marshall has run a camp in his hometown, and he knows he has changed since last year at this time after a strong performance in 2025 when he emerged as the Wolverines’ leading rusher. Marshall, who entered the season considered on equal footing as running back Justice Haynes, took over after Haynes was injured and finished with 932 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He was voted second team All-Big Ten by media, third team by the coaches and was named the Wolverines’ co-offensive player of the year.
But where Marshall stood out was his leadership. He had been a captain at Moeller and wanted to be an important voice at Michigan. That certainly became clear last season, and this spring was voted a captain for spring practice.
“I would say I’m just a little bit more mature,” Marshall told The Detroit News on Saturday on where he is now compared tp this year before his first camp. “It’s just a blessing. Every time I step back out here and I just look around, I’m like, I started here, this is where I dreamed of playing, and now I’m playing on a bigger stage. Giving these kids the chance to shine and have fun with me and with other college guys that are here. Just to have that opportunity to make a little difference is so important.”
Moeller holds a big piece of Marshall’s heart, just like Michigan.
“This is the place that has given me a lot,” Marshall said. “Growing up here and being a kid like this, I want to be able to show good mentorship and talk about mental health and have some of my friends that I grew up with here and teach these kids. We had 220 kids sign up the first week it was announced, and I’m blessed that kids want to come out here and that my name can bring this impact.
“And just to keep bringing this impact every single year to Cincinnati for free is big, because I think that’s the most important thing is you’re giving back. You’re not taking anything from your community, but you’re giving them something to leave with. To be able to have the support of Cincinnati is beautiful, especially being from Ohio and going to Michigan.”
Marshall had a break before coming back home and visited London, Croatia and Italy, and then took his mother, Amy, who ran the registration tent at the camp, to Capri and the Amalfi Coast for Mother’s Day.
“Well needed. I needed it,” he said. “Good to get away, but it’s good to be back to get two weeks to be home and be around the community.”
Soon enough, he will be back in Ann Arbor with his teammates going through offseason training heading into preseason camp and then the season. Marshall leads a room that includes veteran Bryson Kuzdzal and five-star freshman Savion Hiter. Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham has said the running backs and defensive line are the strengths of the team.
This is Marshall’s third season, and he has embraced a mantra, “Focused, not Filtered: Be real, be present, be you”. That message appeared on the back of the T-shirts each camper received, and it is exactly how Marshall wants to conduct himself.
“A lot of things in this life are filtered now — what we say, how we act, what we do,” Marshall said. “But I talk about being you, being real, and being present and just living where your feet are. I think a lot about the future and what the future holds. Am I going to the draft next year? I need to focus on the now and what’s happening right now and be myself and make an impact while I can now. You never know what the future holds, so for me, that’s my focus, is being focused, not filtered. Focused on what I need to improve on as a man, as a better person, and then everything will just come to my fruition in God’s hands.”
When he refers to the filter, it encompasses so many things, including the filter people use for photographs and comments on social media to project an idealized person far from reality.
“We block out what we post (on social media), we block out again when we’re talking to a reporter, or whatever the situation is,” Marshall said. “You need people to be real and authentic, and we shouldn’t hide that. People have to be media trained? Let people say what they want. Let them be who they are. That’s why we have people from different backgrounds. So, for me, that’s the beautiful thing, and that’s really what I want to focus on as I lead our football team is being focused and not centered on themselves but becoming better for the whole and everyone else.”
This is how he chooses to lead. Michigan running back teammate Tomas O’Meara, who worked the camp, said Marshall embodies what it takes to lead the position group and the team.
“He’s just a great leader on and off the field,” O’Meara said. “Everyone always looks at him as a great football player, but he’s an even better man. We’re always feeding off of each other, and that’s one thing about our room is we’re always helping each other.”
Marshall has never shied from giving his opinion, and he never sugar coats. He prefers authenticity and believes that’s how an individual and a team can remain focused.
“As I get older and wiser, I’m just like, this is how I want my life to be and how I’m going to improve and how I’m going to challenge kids,” Marshall said. “You want to challenge everybody, and I don’t want to stop being challenged. That’s why I go to Michigan. That’s why you do these hard things. Like Savion, I’m pushing him, he’s pushing me like Kudz, too. That’s a really good room we have. That’s what I want for all these kids. That’s why you go to a schools like Moeller, St. X, Elder, La Salle (all high schools in Cincinnati). I have respect for all of them, and it’s just the way they put together and develop humans, and I just want to be the best I can be for this world and make a difference.”
Being a leader has always been second nature to Marshall. He’s not predicting he will be a captain at Michigan this fall, but he absolutely wants that responsibility, especially with Whittingham and the mostly new staff embarking on their first season with the Wolverines.
“I would love to be a captain,” he said. “It’s a high honor, and people don’t do it all the time. Just to be in that category, that I’m making a difference at Michigan, and trying to get the program back to where we need to be, and that’s a national championship, Big Ten championship, and beating our rivals.
“I love Coach Whittingham, and what we’re doing now — and I’m gonna use that word again — the focus we have for this season, and the drive. You see everybody’s working out, and we didn’t have that last year, people working out in the offseason. And to see everybody’s eager to get back and get back to work, I talked to (right tackle) Andrew (Sprague) last night, and he’s like, ‘I can’t wait to see all my guys again.’ (Quarterback) Bryce (Underwood) has been training in L.A., and that’s the work you need to become a better team. It’s this month that takes teams the next step.”
Among Marshall’s personal goals for the season is rushing for more than 1,000 yards. He ended last season with a shoulder injury that held him out of two games, including the bowl, so being able to perform and lead the entire year is another focus.
“Staying healthy is another goal of mine, and then my goals are just whatever I got to do to win,” Marshall said. “If that’s not getting the ball and Savion getting three touchdowns, who cares? We’re in the same room at the end of the day, me getting better and him getting better, and us winning games is all that matters. Yeah, he’s a good player, and people are forgetting about Kudz. He won us a lot of games at the end of last year and played in some big games, and he’s ready to go. Don’t forget about that three-headed monster. It’s going to be exciting.”
Marshall wants to win, and he wants to be successful so that he’s appealing to NFL teams next season. If he has the type of year he’s hoping to achieve, he wants to pursue a professional career.
“That’s the goal, but also, I want to have the option of Michigan to come back and national championship’s on the table,” he said. “That’s what I want to do, and it’s going to be a group decision, and we’ll see where we are after the season. But I love Michigan, and I love Moeller and love what they both have given me. To be able to put on that winged helmet, maybe another season after this would be great, but if it’s time to go, then it’s time to go.”
Marshall feels confident Michigan has the right ingredients this season to make a run and reach the College Football Playoff and beyond.
“I just think we have the drive and we’re united this year,” Marshall said. “We all have one goal, one purpose, to become the best team we can be. Whittingham has done a good job, is connecting with the players, while also building us up and also coaching really hard. And when you see him working hard, and he’s running and doing all the things, you’re like, ‘Wow, I’m gonna be like him. He’s 66 years old, and he’s a beast.’ And just all the coaches, all these guys are legit dudes. My relationship with the defense is way better than it was, and when you’re connected on both sides, you know what you’re going to get out of each other, and that’s what’s so important. I’m so excited just to compete. We have a tough schedule, but I know we’re built for it.”
angelique.chengelis@detroitnews.com
@chengelis
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Jordan Marshall applies leadership skills at Michigan, in old hometown
Reporting by Angelique S. Chengelis, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
