Michigan’s first injury report of the week brought a little good news and a lot of familiar concern after the Wolverines’ 15-6 loss to Michigan State.
The clearest positive is in the secondary. Defensive back Shamari Earls is no longer on the report after sitting out last week for an undisclosed reason. Michigan is going to need him, especially with Oregon’s offense coming to town this weekend.
The more troubling updates start up front. Both of Michigan’s starting tackles are still a concern, and that’s where the picture gets shaky fast.
Andrew Sprague has missed most of the season, and it appears unlikely he’ll be back at any point this year. Blake Frazier, who left Saturday’s game against Michigan State with an injury, is listed as doubtful for this week.
If Frazier can’t go, Michigan may be forced to roll with the same group that finished the game against the Spartans. Andrew Babalola saw his first action on Saturday, which pushed Evan Link to left guard and moved Nathan Efobi to right guard after Brady Norton was injured.
That setup could leave true freshman Marky Walbridge at right tackle. Walbridge started against Indiana a few weeks ago and struggled.
There’s also some uncertainty at defensive end, where John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols remain on the report with injuries they’ve been dealing with for several weeks. Daley played well last week, while Nichols has been trying to work back toward full strength and has not been at 100 percent.
Tight end depth could take a hit too. Jalen Hoffman and Hogan Hansen are both on the report, which could open the door for more snaps for true freshman Mason Bonner. Michigan has talked plenty about Bonner since fall camp, but that hasn’t yet shown up much on the field.
At receiver, Channing Goodwin’s injury could lead to more playing time for Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson. Johnson had a few good moments in what was otherwise a rough offensive night for Michigan State.
Rod Moore is still dealing with an injury as well. He’s been on the report for multiple weeks, and Michigan will need him in the secondary against Oregon.
There are no signs this week of any potential opt-outs, either. In this era of college football, that’s always something worth watching, but none of the players on this report appear to fit that category.
Michigan has already lost Nate Marshall to an indefinite suspension for violating team rules. Beyond that, this week’s report does not indicate any additional departures.
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Oregon is the next challenge, and Dan Lanning has already acknowledged that a coaching change can matter even if it does not completely rewrite an offense overnight. The Ducks have built momentum with wins over Northwestern and Ohio State, and they will try to keep rolling against a Michigan team now trying to steady itself while adjusting to a new voice in the booth. [Read more 🡒]