Denard Robinson ready to go, but RBs a question for Michigan football team
Denard Robinson is fine.
It’s the Michigan football team’s running backs that Rich Rodriguez is worried about entering the Big Ten portion of the schedule.
Michael Shaw and Fitzgerald Toussaint are both listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game at Indiana (3:30 p.m., ESPNU) on the Wolverines’ weekly injury report.
Michigan sophomore running back Fitzgerald Toussaint is unlikely to play Saturday against Indiana.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Should they be unable to play, Rodriguez said a combination of Vincent Smith, Michael Cox, Stephen Hopkins and possibly even Teric Jones would handle rushing duties against the Hoosiers.
“They took all the reps yesterday, and did a nice job,” Rodriguez said.
Shaw sustained a knee injury against Bowling Green on Saturday and the oft-injured Toussaint hurt his shoulder.
As for Robinson, the team’s sophomore quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful, Rodriguez said he fully participated in Tuesday’s practice and has no lingering concerns from the left knee “tweak” he suffered in the first quarter against Bowling Green last Saturday.
“He did everything in practice yesterday,” Rodriguez said. “There will be no restrictions whatsoever.”
Linebackers Carvin Johnson (MCL) and Brandon Herron (ankle) also may play against Indiana.
Concussions threaten career
Safety Mike Williams sustained a concussion in practice following Michigan’s game against Notre Dame, and hasn’t played since.
Williams has suffered multiple concussions through his career, and the cumulative effect could threaten his career.
“The doctors are having conversations with Mike, because he’s had so many of them, regarding his future and what lies ahead for him,” Rodriguez said. “Certainly, it’s a concern for everyone involved and we’ll see where those take us.”
Kicking situation solidified
Rich Rodriguez doesn’t know whether Seth Broekhuizen or Brendan Gibbons will kick against Indiana. He does know, for better or worse, the pair of Michigan kickers are his options this season.
After spending two weeks holding tryouts, auditioning kickers and even discovering hopeful kickers in the Schembechler Hall parking lot, Rodriguez is sticking with the current Wolverines.
“We had some good gentlemen try out, but nobody has shown anything that puts them above the guys on the team just yet,” he said. “We’re getting deep into the season, so we won’t have more tryouts going forward.”
He said seven or eight prospects received auditions, and that he’d revisit the Wolverines’ options in the spring.
Pete Bigelow can be reached at (734) 623-2556 or e-mailed at petebigelow@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeterCBigelow.
Comments
thomas h blaske
Fri, Oct 1, 2010 : 2:07 p.m.
football is not a contact sport it's a collision sport that's why concussions are such a serious problem would we do better if we brought back leather helmets?
MetricSU
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 1:17 p.m.
That's a real shame about Mike Williams. I know we think college football is important, but there's so much for Mike afterwards. Hopefully he stops playing and gets his degree. The issue of concussions is a tough one. Let's face it: if not for football, some nontrivial fraction of the football players would not attend college. They shouldn't have to give up their health, but we shouldn't ignore the risk/reward tradeoffs they're willing to make. The NFL players know about concussions and how serious they are. Yet they choose to play. That means they would rather play and reap the rewards now, accepting possible risks down the road. What we should require is that the players have as much information as possible. Think about something like coal mining. There are serious risks of injury and death, yet we allow people to choose to become coal miners. Okay, it's not part of the entertainment industry, but I don't think that matters. If individuals have full information about the risks, and if the employees are regulated into making jobs as safe as possible, we should probably let people choose to participate in risky occupations.
Skipit3
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 3:55 a.m.
What about my man Forcier? Is he Ok?
Skipit3
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 3:49 a.m.
3 And Out, Like ohiowolverine, I am proud of you for once contributing POSITIVELY to an article. Je vois que ton Francais n'est pas trop mal.
NoBowl4Blue
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 3:03 a.m.
maybe DR could kick
3 And Out
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 9:19 p.m.
Au contraire, mon frre... ohiowolve....i LOVE UM with all my heart and sole....and never say anything bad about my school...i just cant stand the coach and the direction that our program has taken, turning in to a laughing stock of the Big Ten. BTW...you can see a clip of that ALS story on HBOs website...its really well done and insightful.
ohiowolverine
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 5:08 p.m.
3 and out, that is the best post I have ever read from you. For once nothing bad to say about UM. Keep up the good work! GO BLUE
Lokalisierung
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 4:44 p.m.
@ 3 in out - That is interesting stuff right there. I'd like to see that piece.
3 And Out
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 4:36 p.m.
There was an interesting story on HBOs inside sports a couple of weeks ago about the connection between concussions and ALS - Lou Gehrigs disease. A high number of pro football players and pro soccer player are getting this disease and researchers have linked the multiple concussions that some players receive to releasing toxic proteins in the spinal cord which are a leading cause for ALS. Soccer players in Europe are getting it as they constantly hit a 60mph ball with their heads all the time... when they looked back they saw that Lou Gehrig had a long history of concussions in baseball from getting hit in the head with the ball or sliding hard in to another player... it was an interesting piece...concussions are serious stuff and shouldnt be ignored.
Blue Marker
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 4:09 p.m.
Shaw had taken the lead in the crowded backfield and I'm disappointed he isn't likely to play. However, I think Michigan can cut through the IU run D like a hot knife through butter so look for Vinny and Dennard to have a big day. 5-0 headed into the MSU game will be sweet. I know, I know...one game at a time. Final score: UM 45 - IU 28 (Yes, UM will make a field goal)
Macabre Sunset
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 3:32 p.m.
Is the game going to simulcast on a basic cable channel in the area? ESPNU is on one of those obscure tiers that includes the caber tossing channel and the synchronized swimming channel. I don't feel like paying $50/year for one game I'd watch. Sorry to hear Toussaint still can't go. He had two runs last week. Granted, he had huge holes to hit, but he looks like a great back in the making the way he squares up and accelerates.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 3:04 p.m.
How mnay deaths occur each year from people mountain climbing? Quite a few, and there's no money in any of that. People wanting to compete at the highest level and challenge themselves has been going on since the beginning of time.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 3 p.m.
Yeah I read about ESPN/NFL channels glorifying concussive hits and that IS pretty weak. Of course I think the NFL comentary was done by players who have faced simialr/worse injuries so maybe they have more of a right (some were made by Rich Eisen though who never played football). It's hard to change that many things since it's a contact sport after all. Take away all the hitting and make it flag football and then no one would watch. So then you can look at it both ways and say you're taking away the oppertunity for someone to make a career for themselves, or you're protecting them. Then again the majority of college football players know full well that they have no pressional future and they still play. If all the money was taken away, these players and many more would still play, and still play at the highest intensity and injuries would occur. I'm also very intrigued by all the talk of players not using correct mouth guards, not having their helmuts fit correctly and things like that. I wonder how much it would change concussions if they all did? Maybe not at all, maybe a lot. It's thier life.
Ross
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 2:48 p.m.
Loka, Take away fan desire to watch and attend football games and there would be much less desire for these guys to play it, especially so intensely. If we didn't all crave the action and spend so much of our time and money on football (and watching the advertisements), there would be no big $$ contracts looming at the next level. Sometimes I feel sick to my stomach supporting a sport like this that can permanently ruin people's lives. I would fully support a thorough overhaul of the rules of the game, to help minimize concussions and risk of paralyzing hits. ESPN U had some college recap program on the other night. They did a segment on big hits of the week, and made jokes about huge collisions that UNDOUBTEDLY gave one or both players concussions. I was not amused. We all need to think about the health of the players with greater concern.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 1:49 p.m.
"Seriously folks: our desire to be excited and entertained is no justification for these tragedies." WEll I think the players desire may have a little bit more to do with it then fan desire.
michboy40
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 12:51 p.m.
We can probably survive the IU game with these injuries, but once Sparty comes knocking, we will need all hands on deck!