ANN ARBOR, Mich. — If you tuned into Michigan football’s Week 4 contest against Rutgers, you may have been confused to not see starting defensive tackle Mason Graham not out there.
Hours before the game, the Wolverines released, via the Big Ten, their injury report, and Graham was reported as out. When he arrived with the team, he had some sort of protective covering or cast on his left wrist and hand area.
Regardless of Graham’s unavailability, it was a big news day for the maize and blue, with Jim Harbaugh returning to the sidelines after his three-game suspension, along with cornerback Will Johnson and safety Rod Moore getting back into the game after not playing previous to Saturday (Johnson played one series in Week 2).
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After the game, Harbaugh addressed those who returned from injury and also downplayed the severity of Graham’s seeming banging up.
“Maybe you thought me, Will and Rod Moore, we’re on a milk carton somewhere, you couldn’t find it, but we’ve been found!” Harbaugh said. “And we’re back playing. And great player, Mason Graham. should only be out for maybe another week and then he’ll be back. But I thought guys really stepped up without him there. I knew (Kenneth Grant) would have a big game. It’s awesome.”
While Graham appears to be unavailable for the upcoming game, next, Michigan football will travel to Nebraska to take on the Huskers. The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on Fox. He should, if he stays on schedule, be eligible to return for another road game, that time at Minnesota.
Additionally, Mike Sainristl hobbled to the medical tent near the end of the game, but he said afterwards that he’s fully healthy still and available for the next game.