Will Johnson injury update: Star corner expected to miss Ohio State game
Michigan Wolverines football junior cornerback Will Johnson is expected to miss Saturday’s game at No. 2 Ohio State with a toe injury that has plagued him since last month’s loss at Illinois, according to multiple media reports.
Head coach Sherrone Moore said earlier this week that Johnson and classmate/tight end Colston Loveland were working to get themselves right to play in Columbus, but that appears to no longer be the case for Johnson.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” Moore said on Monday. “I think Colston is trying to get in a good direction. We’ll get a better feel in the next couple of days. The same thing with Will. So we’ll see.”
The elephant in the room with the Johnson injury is the likely end to his career in a Michigan uniform. Despite being bowl-eligible, several Wolverine stars could opt out to preserve their NFL Draft status. Johnson is considered a potential top-10 pick next spring, so he would fall into that category.
If this is truly it for Johnson in a Michigan uniform, he goes out with a number of accolades. The junior suited up in six games this season, recording 14 total tackles with two interceptions, both of which went for touchdowns. They were his second and third interceptions returned for a score, which is a top mark in program history. He was named a mid-season All-American this year by the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was a Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist.
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Overall, Johnson has appeared in 32 games in a Michigan uniform with 22 starts. Last year, Johnson was a first-team All-American last season as part of Michigan’s run to the College Football Playoff National Championship, where he was named the Defensive MVP of the title game after an interception in a 34-13 win over Washington.
Johnson was also a consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and media last year.
In his absence, Michigan has turned to sophomore Jyaire Hill, graduate Aamir Hall and junior Zeke Berry at corner. Each will need to step up in a big way against a vaunted Buckeye passing game.
Saturday’s showdown between Michigan and Ohio State from Columbus kicks off just after noon ET. Fox will broadcast the game.
