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There’s hope that star Michigan tight end Colston Loveland might be able to play this Saturday.
Loveland was still being evaluated for the undisclosed injury he suffered in the Wolverines’ 28-18 win over Arkansas State over the weekend, but head coach Sherrone Moore failed to rule him out during an appearance Monday night on the “Inside Michigan Football” radio show.
Earlier in the day, during his weekly session with reporters, he offered no update.
“It was less serious than we thought, so I feel positive about that,” Moore said. “But we’ll see as the week progresses.”
Loveland could be seen favoring his left leg as he hobbled off the Michigan Stadium field on Saturday. He reentered the game after halftime but quickly exited and retreated to the Michigan locker room. He was later spotted on the sideline without his uniform on.
More: Michigan names QB Alex Orji starter ahead of USC clash
After the game Moore declined to address the injury to Loveland or speculate about its severity, telling reporters that the tight end’s return is dependent upon clearance from doctors.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Loveland hasn’t missed a game since debuting at Michigan in 2022, appearing in all 14 games as a true freshman, starting 12 games during the Wolverines’ national title run last year and emerging as the top target in their passing attack this year.
Amid Michigan’s 2-1 start, Loveland has a team-high 19 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown, averaging nearly 10 yards per catch.
If he can’t go, expect a heavy dose of backup tight end Marlin Klein, who caught three passes for 43 yards in Saturday’s win. “He’s always a guy we thought very highly of, and showed that he could make the plays needed to help you win in the passing game,” Moore said on the radio show.
Freshman Hogan Hansen, who caught a 9-yard pass for a touchdown against Arkansas State, is another. “He’s a true freshman but he doesn’t really act like one. He’s kind of got a little bit of Colston when he was a true freshman; where the moment’s not too big and he’s just ready to go whenever you ask him.”
Earlier Monday, Michigan named Alex Orji its new starting quarterback for Saturday’s Big Ten opener vs. Southern Cal (3:30 p.m., CBS). Orji is a run-first quarterback with a limited arsenal throwing the football.
- BETTING: Check out our guide to the best Michigan sportsbooks, where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks. The Wolverines opened as a 6.5-point underdog to USC. Saturday’s Big Ten matchup will be the first time since 2021 that Michigan will play in two regular season games as an underdog.
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