Will Johnson not expected to play vs. Oregon, per report
Will Johnson is not expected to be available this weekend for Michigan when the Wolverines host Oregon, according to a report.
That news comes from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, who notes that Johnson is dealing with an injury. Johnson has not played since Oct. 19 when he left Michigan’s loss to Illinois early due to a lower-body injury.
The current expectation is that Michigan will be without star cornerback Will Johnson tomorrow vs. No. 1 Oregon due to injury, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports https://t.co/Yp5wV732hs pic.twitter.com/DkNAOaaUWI
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 1, 2024
Johnson is a tremendous loss for the Wolverines. He’s widely regarded as one of the top cornerbacks in the country and would have been a major part of Michigan’s defensive game plan against Dillon Gabriel and Oregon on Saturday.
With Johnson sidelined, Michigan has turned to Aamir Hall to start in the secondary. Hall received a coverage grade of 62.1 in Michigan’s win over rival Michigan State last weekend, according to Pro Football Focus. He was targeted twice and allowed 2 catches for 27 yards and 1 touchdown, per PFF.
Michigan will face a much tougher passing offense on Saturday against No. 1 Oregon. Dillon Gabriel enters this weekend ranked third in the Big Ten in passer efficiency rating.
Oregon is a 14.5-point road favorite over the Wolverines on Saturday, per the latest lines from bet365. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night.