Jake Sumner grabbed his phone to text the Michigan Wolverines Special Teams coordinator and tight ends coach Jay Harbaugh.
The bond between this Eureka, Missouri high school football coach and Michigan’s longest-serving assistant manager is deep. Sumner welcomed Harbaugh to the Eureka High School campus, where the Wolverines Coordinator is studying who to take a risk next. The last time this happened both men benefited.
It’s the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, the culmination of college football rivalries. Michigan vs. Ohio State, also known as The Game, dominates the headlines. Ten years separated the Wolverines’ last victory over the Buckeyes. With Jim Harbaugh as Michigan head coach, the Wolverines had never beaten Ohio State.
Until November 27th. Outside a crowded big house, noisy Michigan fans saw what many believed was unfathomable. The Wolverines eventually defeated their arch rivals. That was a brawl, 42-27.
Hassan Haskins made this possible. When it was time to unleash their rewind, Haskins demonstrated his physicality, his intransigence on the ground, and overran the Buckeyes’ defenses. It was a career-defining achievement for the young running back.
Haskins rose to national consciousness with 28 carries for 169 yards and five touchdowns for the Wolverines.
Sumner was full of excitement and knew who to write to.
“I texted Jay and said, ‘Thanks for risking him,'” said Sumner. “What a journey.”
A week later, Haskins and the Wolverines secured the program’s first Big Ten title since 2004 with a dominant 42-3 win over Iowa. This earned Michigan a place in the national semifinals of the College Football Playoffs, where it faced on Friday night Georgia competed in the Orange Bowl.
To understand Haskins and his dominant power, one has to look back at his time at Eureka High School in the small town of Missouri, which formed the basis for this nature athlete’s heyday.
Hassan wasn’t the first member of the Haskins family to coach Sumner at Eureka. Hassan’s brother Maurice Alexander also went through the Eureka football program. Alexander, a former linebacker and safety, was in the fourth round from what was then St. Louis Rams.
Having a brother who played high school football and fulfilled the NFL dream influenced Haskins to go down the same path. While Haskins didn’t boast loudly about his brother, it was obvious how proud he was that a sibling had reached the highest level in football.
“He looked up at him so much that he was so proud,” said Tyler Wasson, Haskins’ offensive coordinator at Eureka. “He never talked or bragged about his brother. This family is so humble. “
Haskins entered Eureka High as a multi-athlete. Outside of football, the teen shone in basketball and athletics, finishing second in the high jump at the 2017 MSHSAA Class 5 State Championship, beating the 6-foot-7 mark.
When football became his calling, Haskins carried over the skills he had developed in basketball and athletics to the offensive and defensive for Eureka.
“All of the things he’s gathered from all of these sports helped take Hassan to the next level,” said Sumner. “It made him the competitor and top athlete he is now.”
Haskins wasn’t the loudest player on the Eureka team. He showed humility and was determined by his performance. As he stepped into the crush and positioned himself to face the snap, his look at the defense meant one thing.
Haskins wanted to hit you. During his senior season, Haskins carried the ball 255 times for 2,197 yards and 31 roaring touchdowns. Defensively, Haskins recorded nine sacks and two fumble recoveries. It was Haskins’ full game that catapulted Eureka into the 2017 Missouri Class 6 semifinals, where it faced Christian Brothers College High School. With the Eureka quarterback injured, Sumner recalls how Haskins took the lead on the offensive. On one drive, Haskins ran the ball 13 times. Eureka didn’t win the game, but Haskins got a lot of attention from those in attendance.
Wasson recalls a game that Haskins dominated against Marquette High School. Haskins put on 300 yards offensive in the first half alone and recorded five sacks on the defensive.
The combination of speed and toughness made Haskins an ideal candidate. Several programs came through Eureka to watch him play. Many left without offering anything. Despite solid numbers, the chip grew on his shoulder as the Power 5 schools moved on.
“People said he wasn’t fast enough or he was too uptight,” said Wasson. “I’m sure Hassan has this inner flame that nobody thinks is good enough. I know that bothered him. But you’d never know. I never heard him complain or say anything negative once. He just kept working. “
Michigan got the last laugh. When Jay Harbaugh attended Eureka High School, he saw the potential of Haskins. The Wolverines decided to take a risk.
“Hassan’s everything to us,” said Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. “We totally love him. He’s the type of guy who, when you’re talking about a physical back and how you want to build your back, is the exact prototype of what you want to build in your running back room. “
As a multi-position player, Haskins gave the Wolverines flexibility. Initially, the youngster started as a linebacker. Over time, it became clear that Haskins was part of the offense.
The experience as a linebacker wasn’t just in vain. Haskins carried this knowledge over to the quarterback to see open holes to use as a running back for long distances.
Haskins had to wait for his chance in Michigan, with Karan Higdon and Chris Evans ahead of him in the Wolverines backcourt. He kept working and learning from his teammates.
“It’s a testament to his character, will and desire to just keep being great and to stay on point and focused,” said Sumner.
In 2019, Haskins took over running back for the Wolverines. In his first college start against Notre Dame, Haskins scored 20 carries for 149 yards. Michigan fans have seen an all-encompassing athlete every Saturday since then.
Despite individual success, Haskins was still part of a team crippled with the inability to get past a much-lauded rival. The Buckeyes were the Big Ten class, and there were doubts whether Jim Harbaugh could lead Michigan to the playoffs.
Historical teams are born from special players. In the big moments, Haskins showed his talent on site, similar to his days at Eureka. His five quick touchdowns against Ohio State that season set an all-time record in Michigan in a single game.
The Ohio State win culminated in a winding journey for Haskins.
“My way to the linebacker and back to the running back was a slightly different journey,” said Haskins. “The culture on this team has definitely changed and I love it. Everyone just bought in, coaches, players, and we just all get together. The energy is first class. “
In December, Sumner gathered several of his coaches in his office. He put together a volume of highlights from Haskins’ high school days.
As they watched, the coaches remembered. The nostalgia turned into an eternal appreciation for what they could share with a special player.
“We sat there for an hour and couldn’t stop watching,” said Wasson. “At the moment we took it for granted. But if you go back and watch the crazy games he played against people going to colleges like Oklahoma … I’ll always be lucky enough to have coached this kid. “
Friday’s game will be the toughest and most momentous for Michigan. The Wolverines face a Georgia Bulldogs team with a strong line of defense. While the Alabama Crimson Tide succeeded in their SEC championship loss to Georgia, these Bulldogs won’t just go down.
They will make life difficult for Haskins during the game. But the 22-year-old enjoys the challenge of playing on the big stage to fight for a national title.
“We know they have a good seven, but we have a good O-line,” said Haskins. “So it’s going to be a fun, physical game. I like these types of games so it will decide who wants the game the most. We’ll see on Friday. “
The quiet, low-key Haskins will be in the spotlight in the Orange Bowl on Friday. Just like his days at Eureka, Haskins will want to go through the defense hopefully to add another highlight to Sumner’s band.
Lukas Weese is a multi-platform sports journalist based in Toronto, Canada. Passionate about sports and storytelling, Luke has bylines in USA Today, Toronto Star, Complex, Yahoo Sports, Sportsnet, The Hockey News, GOLF Magazine, and Raptors Republic.
