Michigan hammered Western Michigan, 47-14, in an easier-than-anticipated opener, but the victory celebration was tempered by an injury to wide receiver Ronnie Bell. The junior went down in the second quarter with a right leg injury after a 31-yard punt return, a setback serious enough that he had to be carted off to the locker room.
Bell had been dynamic to that point. He caught a touchdown pass for 76 yards to put the Wolverines up 17-7 in the second quarter and had another long, one-handed grab called back on a questionable offensive pass interference penalty.
"Just worried about Ronnie Bell right now as we come out of this game," head coach Jim Harbaugh said after assessing his team's play. "That’s the biggest concern. He’ll get an MRI tonight and we’ll find out the severity of the injury."
Harbaugh said they'd "hope for the best, but expect the worst" and wouldn't specify if it was a knee or ankle injury (though it appeared to be the right knee).
The Wolverines managed several explosive plays Saturday, including a 73-yard touchdown on a reverse from freshman receiver A.J. Henning and a 69-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy to transfer newcomer Daylen Baldwin.
Bell, though, is the heart and soul of the offense, and he'd be missed.
"The one-handed catch was amazing. I didn’t think there was any way he was still inbounds," Harbaugh said. "The big play he made on the adjustment, the post, really cracked the game open ... he got the big play when we needed it.
"We’d established that we could run the ball at that point. They were starting to get lower and lower and lower with the secondary, then Ronnie got behind him, made the contested catch, kept his feet and took it in for the score … then another big play on the punt return."
Freshman running back Blake Corum quickly turned his thoughts to his teammate after the game.
“I haven’t gotten the chance to say anything about him yet. I pray he gets better, whatever it may be," he said.
"When a guy like that goes down, it’s a bummer. He’s one of our captains. He’s going to be good. He’s going to make sure the team’s good. I hope whatever it may be, it’s a quick comeback.”
“It’s very difficult seeing a teammate, a brother, out there hurt," redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara said. "Ronnie’s a big part of this team. I’m praying, whatever it is, for him to be able to be OK. Obviously, it’s super difficult. You hate to see it.”
The offensive captain was crying with his head in his towel when he was carted off the field to an ovation from the Michigan Stadium crowd.
"He was fabulous; phenomenal," Harbaugh said. "Our prayers are with Ronnie right now.
"That's a big deal. Ronnie is loved by everybody and a captain of this football team. What can you say other than you hope for the best and expect the worst, and wait until you get the MRI results. No matter what, he'll be back. He's got too much drive not to be."
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW,
@JB_ Wolverine, @Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook
