Colston Loveland injury update: Sherrone Moore shares positive news on Michigan star
Michigan Wolverines football junior tight end Colston Loveland left Saturday’s 28-18 win over Arkansas State with an apparent left arm injury. He went into the locker room to get checked out and returned in street clothes, but there haven’t been any specifics on his injury.
Head coach Sherrone Moore was asked about Loveland’s status on the ‘Inside Michigan Football’ radio show and gave a positive update.
“Colston is continuing to be evaluated,” Moore said. “It was less serious than we thought, so feel positively about that, but we’ll see as the week progresses.”
Loveland registered 3 catches for 30 yards before he left the game. He’s Michigan’s leading receiver on the season, with 19 catches for 187 yards and 1 touchdown. His amount of catches leads all tight ends nationally, per PFF.
Junior Marlin Klein and freshman Hogan Hansen stepped up in his absence. Klein hauled in 3 grabs for 43 yards, including a 33-yarder on a free play when Arkansas State jumped offsides. Hansen, meanwhile, caught a 9-yard touchdown pass, the first reception and score of his young career.
“First, Marlin Klein,” Moore said of who has to step up if Loveland can’t play or is limited. “He had 3 catches for 43 yards in the game. He’s always a guy we thought very highly of, and he showed that he can make the plays needed to help us in the passing game.
“The other guy is Hogan Hansen. He’s a true freshman, but he doesn’t really act like one. He’s kinda got a little bit of Colston when he was a true freshman, where the moment’s not too big and he’s ready to go whenever you ask him.
“Excited to see him progress. And he just kept getting better from camp to now. Just ready for him to keep rolling.”
Hansen’s touchdown pass came from junior quarterback Alex Orji, who’s Michigan’s starting signal-caller going forward. Senior Davis Warren started the first three games, but his inability to take care of the ball with 6 interceptions gave Orji his shot.
Orji is known for his running ability, with 181 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 31 carries in his career. He’s only 4-of-7 passing for 20 yards and 2 scores, but Moore insists he’s a good passer.
“I guess we’ll just have to watch it and see,” the Michigan coach said. “I feel like he can be as good a passer as we need him to be to go win games. We’re never a team that’s just going to sit back there and throw the ball 60 times in a game. That’s not who we are; that’s not who Michigan is. But he can do the things for us to create explosive plays in the pass game.”
The offense looks different with Orji in the game, and Michigan has a plan for him to play extended snaps.
“We’ve got this offense built for him,” Moore said. “We always had a plan for him, so ready to put it on display.”
Michigan graduate quarterback Jack Tuttle didn’t dress for the opener but has suited up the last two weeks. He hasn’t played yet, though, after missing all of spring ball and being limited in fall camp.
“Jack has been throwing in practice, just having some minor setbacks,” Moore said. “So just go what the doctors say on that one.”
