Both will start as CBs against Oregon

Michigan's football secondary will once again be shorthanded, this time against one of the most touted passing attacks in the country.

All-American cornerback Will Johnson has officially been ruled out for tonight's big game against No. 1 Oregon (3:30 p.m., CBS), according to the teams' pregame availability report obliged to provide at least two hours before kickoff in the Big Ten Conference.

Johnson, a projected first-round pick, missed last week's win over Michigan State and hasn't played since exiting with a foot injury in the first half at Illinois.

Now his starting cornerback colleague Jyaire Hill is also out against Oregon's dynamic passing game.

Earlier this week, head coach Sherrone Moore tried to dispel rumors that Johnson wanted to protect his 2025 NFL Draft status.

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“He will definitely play again this season,” Moore said Monday. “We’ll see how it works out this week and what he can do. So we'll just leave it to the doctors. … Will has no plans to just turn it off or anything like that.”

“And I have no doubt that he is a competitor who wants to keep up with his teammates.”

Johnson has 14 tackles, three passes defended and two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns. He holds the Michigan record for pick-sixes (three) in a career. He is currently ranked No. 2 on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper's draft board but has health concerns. Johnson played a handful of snaps during non-conference in 2023 as he recovered from an offseason knee replacement, and also missed a Week 5 win against Minnesota that year.

Hill, on the other hand, had an up-and-down season in his first year starting as a sophomore, but made steady progress and proved to be a difference-maker at times.

Hill has been targeted 49 times and allowed 30 receptions for 267 yards, according to Pro Football Focus, but has allowed just two receptions for a total of 18 yards in consecutive games with two pass breakups and no touchdowns allowed.

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Hill has 29 tackles this year, including 5½ for a loss and a sack, to go along with five pass breakups and an interception.

How Wolverines defensive coordinator Wink Martindale handles without his starting cornerbacks is now a big question against the Ducks. Transfer Aamir Hall (Albany) will start in one spot, but who will start opposite him? It could be sixth-grader Keshaun Harris, transfer Ricky Johnson (UNLV) or junior Myles Pollard, who has made five appearances as a defensive back in his career.

Also on the injury report is starting right tackle Andrew Gentry, who is out for the season. He left last week's game against MSU and was replaced by Evan Link, who did not allow any pressures in 37 snaps against the run or pass.

Look for the returns of senior defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny, who has been out the past two weeks, and true freshman running back and returner Jordan Marshall, who has been out since September with a lower-body injury. Both are classified as questionable.

Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @RealTonyGarcia.

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Both will start as CBs against Oregon

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