Michigan Football: Jim Harbaugh Updates Josh Ross Status After Injury

Michigan Wolverines football linebacker Josh Ross was all over the field in the first half of a 20-13 win over Rutgers, a one-man wrecking crew in running downhill and attacking the ball. The Wolverines missed him when he left in the third quarter with an injury, putting the young linebackers in a tough spot.

The injury was reported as a 'stinger,' and Ross was listed as questionable to return in the second half. He didn't, but he should be okay to play next week at Wisconsin.

"He’s going to be okay," Harbaugh said. "He was working through something and didn’t quite get the strength back to be cleared to go back in the game."

Ross notched six total tackles, two for loss, and was replaced by freshmen Nikhai Hill-Green, Junior Colson and Kalel Mullings. Hill-Green finished with eight tackles, two for loss, and came up big with stops on third and fourth down on Rutgers' second to last possession to get the ball back for the Wolverines.

"Especially the momentum they had and were able to keep for most of the second half, ... a lot of things were going against us defensively," Harbaugh said.: "But we found a way.

"The wide zone play or stretch play and the quarterback read off of that was getting us, and we were rotating the young linebackers in there. I thought it was a real growing place for them, Nikhai and Junior and Kalel."

Hill-Green said Ross continued to coach him from the sidelines.

“He’s doing well. He was talking to me the whole time, telling me what he saw," he said.

"Josh is a dude. He would go out there with a broken arm. He would go out there with any injury. They just wouldn’t let him. I’m proud of him for being a great teammate. He helped me out so much.”

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