Michigan sophomore fullback Ben Mason has a cut on his face. It’s why he was sporting several bandages just above his nose and in between…
Michigan sophomore fullback Ben Mason has a cut on his face.
It’s why he was sporting several bandages just above his nose and in between his eyebrows after the Wolverines’ 42-21 win over Maryland on Saturday. He has had it for a while, and it keeps reopening.
If the past few weeks have been any indication, that cut is not likely to heal soon. Michigan keeps finding new ways to use Mason in every facet of the offense, and the legend of ‘Bench’ Mason only continues to grow.
“He’s got the ability to do a lot,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Catch the ball out of the backfield, block, run. It’s an expanding package for Ben.”
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Against the Terrapins, Mason made the highlight reels on the second play of the game. Lined up next to quarterback Shea Patterson out of the shotgun, Mason ran across the field and into the flats. He caught the pass from Patterson, turned upfield — and hurdled Maryland defensive back Darnell Savage Jr.
After landing on his feet, Mason made another defender dive and miss before he was brought to the ground. It was the most impressive 15-yard gain on the day, maybe even the season. Mason is 6-foot-3,254 pounds, and you don’t often — or ever — see a fullback hurdle a defender.
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“Never, ever seen that before in my life,” junior linebacker Devin Bush Jr. said. “Never. I wouldn’t expect that from him. I thought he was going to lower his shoulder or make a move. He jumped over him.”
What Mason was thinking during the play? Well, he wasn’t. Running through or jumping over a defender is the same to him. He’ll do whatever it takes to gain yards.
“It kinda just happens,” he said. “I don’t really like to think when I’m playing, I kinda just like to react. So whatever my body thinks is right, that’s what I end up doing.”
When Mason got back to the sideline, his teammates were (rightfully) surprised.
“He made it happen, man,” senior running back Karan Higdon said after the game, laughing. “Everybody got hype. It was amazing to see. You really don’t know what Ben’s going to do.”
“I saw it one time, and that was in his high school highlight tape,” sophomore center Cesar Ruiz continued. “I didn’t think I’d see it again. I saw it out of the corner on my eye today, I had to look at the screen to make sure it was what I thought it was.”
Mason’s line on the day won’t put him on any Heisman watchlists. He had the one reception for 15 yards and five carries for 12 yards with one touchdown.
Still, he is an integral part of the offense because of his versatility. He’s a force as a blocker, and is near impossible to stop in short-yardage situations. Aside from one failed fourth-and-1, Mason bulldozed his way forward whenever Michigan needed him to, as he has done all year.
He was even used as a decoy late, when he lined up behind Patterson out of the pistol near the goal-line. Patterson faked the handoff to Mason, rolled out and hit senior fullback Jared Wangler for an easy touchdown.
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“Him just being at tailback today brought on a 6-2 defense, brought on an extra defensive lineman that we were able to fake to him and run a boot, get out of the pocket,” Harbaugh said.
According to Harbaugh, Wangler’s role is expanding because Mason’s role is expanding.
That is music to Mason’s ears. Fullbacks have become a dying breed as most teams have moved away from the type of offense Michigan runs. Mason believes, to some extent, that fullbacks are unfairly stereotyped as one-dimensional players.
He’s more than happy to take up the cause and refute that perception.
“To be honest, I think a fullback is somebody that should be able to do a bunch of different things,” Mason said. “I think my role has only expanded as the weeks have gone on. I’m just very happy about how the team performed today. It was a great team win.”
Contact Orion Sang: osang@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang.
