ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Ahead of the Michigan football team’s showdown with No. 1 Oregon Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS), The Michigan Insider on 247Sports has the latest on several key Wolverines, and their availability status for the game.
Michigan listed starting cornerback Will Johnson, starting cornerback Jyaire Hill, starting right tackle Andrew Gentry (season), wide receiver Amorion Walker, defensive back Micah Pollard, defensive back Rod Moore, defensive back Jaden Mangham and linebacker Cristian Boivin as OUT for the game.
The Wolverines also listed defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny, running back Jordan Marshall and running back Bryson Kuzdzal as QUESTIONABLE for the game, making them game-time decisions.
The Johnson news, though a blow in Michigan’s secondary, is not a surprise, after 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported the news Friday night. Johnson, a projected top-five NFL Draft pick, has two interception returns for touchdown this season, and would have been valuable in limiting the Ducks’ shifty, talented wide receivers Saturday.
As of Monday, Michigan was disagreeing with the notion that Johnson was sitting out to preserve his NFL Draft stock.
“Oh, yeah. Will has no plan of just shutting it down or anything like that,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said Monday. “Will, if he could go out there, he would go out there in a heartbeat, and I know that he’ll be back out there at some point this season, whether it’s this week, next week, whatever it is, and there’s zero, zero doubt in my mind that he’s a competitor that wants to be out there with his teammates, so I know he’ll be back.”
Hill, however, was a surprise, and his absence will be a further blow to Michigan against a highly-ranked Oregon passing attack.
Elsewhere, Gentry has been seen in a boot this week around Michigan’s facilities. The Wolverines have been quiet on his injury, but have not given the same optimism for him to return soon as other players.
“Yeah. I mean, obviously I’m gonna let coach Moore kind of address any availability concerns and things like that,” Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome said. “But I obviously love Andrew and I thought he did a great job for us over the last two games. So I’ll let coach Moore address that.”
Moore, when asked to address the status of Gentry and safety Brandyn Hillman Monday, said: “Not sure yet. We’ll see how they go this week.”
In positive news, Hillman appears to be available, and Benny could return for the first time since Michigan’s loss at Washington.
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