Kalel Mullings emerged as a hero for Michigan football on Saturday.

In a game where the Wolverines won despite passing for just 32 yards, Mullings' running helped No. 17 Michigan with a gritty 27-24 victory over No. 12 USC on Saturday at Michigan Stadium. Mullings finished with career highs of 17 rushes for 159 yards and two touchdowns against Trojans, helping the Wolverines move to 3-1 and 1-0 in Big Ten play on the 2024 college football season.

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His biggest moment came with the game on the line and the Wolverines trailing by four points: He got the carry on a fourth-and-goal from the USC 1-yard line with less than a minute remaining. The offensive line paved a path for the running back, and Mullings capped off the drive with a touchdown and 84 of the 89 yards for Michigan on the final drive.

He also had a career-long rush of 63 yards earlier in the drive:

With how natural Mullings looked at running back for the Wolverines on Saturday, it would be hard to believe he began his career with Michigan at a different position. The graduate student moved to running back three seasons ago, and the move is paying off for Sherrone Moore and his staff.

Here's what you need to know about Mullings, including his stats and his game-winning touchdown vs USC:

Who is Kalel Mullings?

Mullings enrolled at Michigan in 2020 and began his career on special teams, appearing in six games and recording one tackle as a freshman. As a sophomore, he appeared in 13 games on special teams and as a linebacker. It wasn't until his junior season in 2022 that Mullings was moved to running back following injuries to Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards.

He finished his junior season with just 14 rushing attempts and 31 yards while also recording 12 tackles (five solo). Last season, he served as the third running back behind Corum and Edwards and finished the season with 36 rushes for 222 yards and one touchdown to go along with two receptions for 32 yards.

Mullings has taken on a larger workload this season. In the season opener, he rushed 15 times for 92 yards. He ran 15 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns against Arkansas State in Week 3 and followed it up with his 159-yard, two-touchdown performance against USC on Saturday.

Kalel Mullings recruiting

Per 247Sports' Composite rankings, Mullings was a four-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting class. He was deemed the No. 153 player in the country, the No. 10 outside linebacker and the and the top recruit in the state of Massachusetts. He was the No. 5 player in Michigan's recruiting class.

Mullings committed to the Wolverines on June 27, 2019, over offers from Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Stanford, among others.

Kalel Mullings high school

Mullings attended Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts, just outside of the Boston area. He was the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year in Massachusetts in his senior season after recording 51 tackles, four sacks, and three interceptions on defense. On offense, Mullings finished with 509 rushing yards, 33 receptions and 17 total offensive touchdowns, while also adding a punt return for a score. Mullings earned an invite to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

For good measure, Mullings also played the saxophone and was a member of the school's a cappella group, the Miltones.

Kalel Mullings stats

Here's a look at Mullings stats with Michigan:

• 2020: Did not record an offensive stat; One tackle

• 2021: 11 total tackles (five solo)

• 2022: 14 rushes for 31 yards and three touchdowns; 1-for-1 passing for 15 yards; 12 tackles (seven solo)

• 2023: 36 rushes for 222 yards and one touchdown; two receptions for 32 yards

• 2024: 53 rushes for 429 yards and four touchdowns; one reception for two yards

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kalel Mullings career stats, highlights, more for Michigan football RB