Junior running back Brandon Minor has taken three direct snaps in the Michigan football team's last two games. Each time he lowered his head and ran.

But will he ever throw when he lines up under center?

“I love running the ball too much to pass it,” Minor said. “I doubt it.”

Although Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez said Minor was always considered the starter, the Richmond, Va., native had just 13 carries in the Wolverines' first six games as he dealt with an assortment of injuries.

Minor sulked during the early part of the season with his reduced role. Thoughts of never getting his chance to show what he can do and even transferring crossed his mind. His sense of humor didn't show as often as it normally did.

“I just zoned out,” Minor said. “I wasn't joking around in practice like I usually do. I wasn't talking much at all. I was just trying to affect the plays.”

He tried talking to his coaches, but that didn't get anywhere. Then he turned to his mom, brother and old coaches.

“They was like, 'Stay with it. Fight it out,' ” Minor said. “They was saying they know me better than that.”

Minor said his attitude improved in the week leading up to Michigan's Sept. 27 game against Wisconsin. The results weren't evident until Minor started at Penn State four games later. Minor has had more carries in each of the last four games than the first six games combined.

In the three-game stretch starting with the Nittany Lions, Minor accounted for 41 percent of Michigan's offense, 63 percent of its touchdowns and 53 percent of its scoring.

During that run, Minor returned to his old form — having no regard.

No regard for his body

Minor was knocked out of the Wolverines' game at Minnesota in the third quarter with what Rodriguez initially thought was a separated shoulder. Rodriguez was asked about Minor's status Monday.

"He's got sore ribs,” Rodriguez said. “He's got a sore shoulder. He's got a sore wrist.”

And that doesn't even include the hamstring injury that nagged him earlier this season.

Rodriguez said Minor didn't practice Tuesday and is “very questionable” for Saturday's game against Northwestern.

“He's a tough guy,” Rodriguez said. “And I'm sure if he's able to go at all during practice this week, he will.”

The coach added that Minor has picked up the schemes well enough that he could miss practice for most of the week and still play against Northwestern.

No regard for his opponents

Redshirt sophomore left guard John Ferrara remembered watching an Illinois player lie on the ground after a kickoff late in the Wolverines' 45-20 loss Oct. 4. He didn't see what happened on the play, but he was told Minor delivered the big hit.

“I wasn't really that surprised because I know hard he comes all the time,” Ferrara said.

It doesn't matter if it's on special teams late in a blowout game or in practice — Minor plays hard.

"He just really gets after it," said Ferrara, who played defensive tackle before this year. "He'll come downhill and he'll really put his face on you. A lot of running backs will try and juke out of the way.
But there's times he'll go jack someone hard enough to knock him out."

Minor runs with a passion that makes it seem like he's trying to use each step to stomp out any doubts anyone might have had earlier this season.

Minor has eight rushing eight touchdowns on 89 carries this year, a pace of a touchdown every 11.125 carries. Tom Harmon is the only Michigan season-rushing leader to run for scores more frequently, notching a touchdown every 10 runs in 1939.

No regard for his teammates

Minor is one of Michigan's biggest trash talkers, and he doesn't bring generic insults, either.

“I'll talk about them personally — stuff they're sensitive about,” Minor.

Does anybody ever take it the wrong way?

“Sometimes, they probably do,” Minor said. “But that's what we need on the field.

“Sometimes at practice you'll see guys look like they're just worried about how many periods we've got left. But I just go out there and try to make it fun.”