Justice Haynes injury update, when Michigan football RB will be back

If Michigan football is going to keep its dreams alive for the College Football Playoff as an outside shot at a Big Ten championship, it will have to do so without its most explosive player on offense.

Justice Haynes, Michigan football’s junior running back, will not suit up for the Wolverines against Northwestern on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Wrigley Field. The star ball carrier missed the team’s most recent game against Purdue after suffering a right foot injury late in the contest against Michigan State.

He was wearing a boot on his right foot and riding a scooter on the sideline and has since had a procedure to help fix the injury. The expectation is he will miss next week’s contest at Maryland, too, with the hope he will be able to return for the regular season finale against Ohio State at the Big House. But it’s not a guarantee.

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Haynes has shined when on the field during his first year in Ann Arbor, carrying the ball 121 times for 857 yards – which still ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten despite missing more than two-and-a-half games– and 10 touchdowns, which is No. 17 in the nation.

Haynes has run for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in each game he has started and finished.

The good news for U-M, Jordan Marshall has been more than serviceable in his absence. In the two games Marshall served as the full time tailback, he ran for a combined 316 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 110 yards and a score against Michigan State while splitting time.

Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.