Injury updates on Michigan standout defensive backs Will Johnson, Rod Moore

Matt Zenitzby:Matt Zenitz•09/22/23•

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No. 2 Michigan is set to get back a couple key players on defense.

Preseason All-American cornerback Will Johnson and standout safety Rod Moore, who have both been working back from injuries, are both set to play in the Wolverines’ Big Ten opener against 3-0 Rutgers on Saturday, sources tell On3.

Johnson, who had offseason knee surgery, has played just eight snaps this season and didn’t playin Michigan’s win over Bowling Green last week. His only eight snaps of the year came during the Wolverines’ Week 2 win over UNLV. Johnson, a Class of 2022 five-star recruit, ranked as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 16 overall prospect in the 2022 On3 Industry Rankings. He made five starts for Michigan last season.

This will be the season debut for Moore, who posted 71 tackles and four interceptions last year. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection, which came after he made four starts and recorded 32 tackles for the Wolverines in 2021.

Getting those two back will further strengthen a Michigan secondary that got another starting safety, Makari Paige, back last week after he missed the Wolverines’ Week 2 game against UNLV.

Aided by those three, Michigan ranked fifth-best nationally in opposing QB rating last season and allowed the second-fewest touchdown passes per game among Power Five teams.

Michigan enters the matchup against Rutgers as a 24-point favorite. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 35-16 win over Virginia Tech last week, which followed a 36-7 Week 2 victory over Temple and a season-opening 24-7 win over Northwestern.

However, while Rutgers ranks No. 1 in the Big Ten in rushing offense and No. 3 in scoring defense, the Scarlet Knights rank just 126th nationally and second-worst in the Big Ten in passing offense. Now, comes a significant challenge against a Michigan secondary returning some of these key players.

In addition to the return of the defensive backs for the Wolverines, the game will also mark the return of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh after his three-game suspension to start the season.