Michigan Wolverines Football: Several Still Injured For Illinois
ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines will be without a few players when they travel to Champaign Saturday to face Illinois.
Junior linebacker Josh Ross is one not likely to return after missing last week’s game with Rutgers, Harbaugh said Monday. Ross has been seen around campus in a boot, and redshirt freshman Cam McGrone and fifth-year senior Jordan Glasgow played well in his absence Saturday in a 10-3 win over Iowa.
They’ll assess the rotation when Ross gets back, Harbaugh said.
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“When he comes back to play, we'll see where they're at,” he said. “Jordan Glasgow, one of our leading tacklers in the game … he had a really good game this past week. Multiple tackles. There was one play he was in coverage, and then the next play he gets a sack. He’s a very versatile player.
“Cam McGrone is also a solid player. Good game from Cam McGrone. Both of those guys are playing really well.”
Harbaugh didn’t have updates on either junior end Kwity Paye or senior tight end Sean McKeon. Paye left the Iowa game late and told Harabaugh he felt he’d be okay, though Harbaugh wasn’t certain. McKeon missed the Rutgers game after injuring his knee at Wisconsin on a touchdown catch.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Dylan McCaffrey, meanwhile, is working his way back from a concussion suffered at Wisconsin.
“Still working through the process. Progressing,” Harbaugh said. “It's been fantastic, really … really the best I've seen in terms of the collaboration here at Michigan, doctors from home in Denver and experts all over the country. It's been really good. Tip of the hat to the professionals.
“The process is in the hands of the experts.”
NOTES
• Junior receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones is getting closer and closer to 100 percent, Harbaugh said, and they hope to get him more and more involved in the offense.
“We do utilize Donovan. I think he's progressing,” Harbaugh said:
Peoples-Jones has caught nine passes for 93 yards and a touchdown this year in three games since returning from injury. He also rushed for -9 on an end around on which he looked like he was about to throw.
• Freshman safety Daxton Hill played much more against Iowa and continues to get thrown in at nickel.
“He was much more active on the defense this past game,” Harbaugh said. “He moved into that No. 1 nickel spot. He had six tackles, he showed up on the stat-line and is taking steps, taking strides like everyone expected him to. I think it's been a very good progression. We’re seeing improvement from him each week.”
• Michigan’s special teams weren’t great Saturday, but they’ve been solid most of the year. Punter Will Hart struggled, putting two kicks into the end zone, and the Wolverines missed two field goals, one each by Quinn Nordin and Jake Moody (58 and 34 yards, respectively).
Harbaugh plans to continue the kicker rotation.
“We've decided on both. Both of them have kicked well,” Harbaugh said. “They're in a good rhythm, I think. They're confident with their preparation and the flow in-game. That's the feedback from them and from what we see.”
He’s been pleased with the special teams overall.
“I think the play this season, overall, has been really good,” he said. “We've got turnovers, we've got stops and the kickoff coverage has been really good. Punting unit, overall, has been very good. Punt return, we've had our moments. I think we're hitting our stride there with the punt return unit. Same with kickoff return. Kickers and punters are off to a good start this season.”
• Brandon Peters is questionable for Saturday’s game with Michigan after being knocked out with an injury against Minnesota. He’s completed 74 of 127 passes for 797 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions this year.
“I really like Brandon a lot. I think he won us ball games,” Harbaugh said of his transfer. “Good person, great player. I’ve been following him, and I would say the same for how he's playing there at Illinois. Good player.”
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