Michigan to decide Saturday morning if weather will force spring game indoors, wipe out public access
Michigan coach Brady Hoke runs a drill with Roy Roundtree during a practice last year at the Al Glick Field House. Thunderstorms may move the Wolverines' spring game indoors on Saturday and eliminate public access to the final practice of spring camp.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
After 14 practices, the Michigan football team was prepared to unveil Team 133 publicly during its spring game Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
But there's a chance that won't happen.
With thunderstorms expected for the area Saturday morning, Michigan will make a call at around 6 a.m. on whether to move the game indoors to Al Glick Field House. If that happens, the spring game would not be open to the public.
Michigan said in a release there's a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms Saturday.
The game is scheduled for noon, and will be broadcast by Big Ten Network no matter where it is played.
“We are concerned about the weather conditions that are expected in Ann Arbor at the time of our scrimmage and lacrosse game,” associate athletic director for facilities and operations Rob Rademacher said in a statement. “We will cancel the events at the stadium if the safety of our fans, players and staff is compromised by the weather.
"Cancellation is a possibility given the reports we have received from local weathermen and from radar.”
National Weather Service meteorologist Rachel Kulik told AnnArbor.com on Friday afternoon there's a 70 percent chance of rain from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with winds gusting at up to 24 mph.
“It doesn’t look good,” Kulik said.
There also is a chance the men's lacrosse game between Michigan and Ohio State, which is slated for 2:30 p.m. at Michigan Stadium, will be moved indoors. If it is, it would be played at Oosterbaan Field House.
The spring football game and the lacrosse game are free to the public.
Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.
Get the Ann Arbor RSS Feed
AnnArbor.com