Rose Bowl Injury Report: Will Johnson, other Michigan Wolverines good to go
The month off has done wonders for Michigan’s health.
The last time we saw the Michigan Wolverines in action — in the shutout victory over Iowa in the Big Ten title — star cornerback Will Johnson sat out due to injury, center Drake Nugent was in and out of the lineup due to injury, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy had been dealing with a lower-body ailment that kept him more immobile than the coaching staff would like.
But thanks to nearly an entire month off, the players have been able to heal up quite nicely leading up to this afternoon’s Rose Bowl against Alabama in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff.
It is great to see Johnson completely off the injury report. He was banged up in the Ohio State game last month, and subsequently missed the Big Ten Championship Game. The Wolverines need him at his best to keep Isaiah Bond and Jermaine Burton at bay.
Nugent is also fully healthy and available for today’s game. He suffered a sprained ankle in the Ohio State game, and then aggravated the injury in the Big Ten Championship. He took a couple weeks off to heal up and only recently began practicing again, so it’s reassuring he doesn’t even appear on the injury report.
Waller is a new name to appear on the injury report. The true freshman cornerback has been a decent depth piece for Jesse Minter and the Michigan defense this season, so hopefully he is available if he is needed this afternoon.