Justice Haynes, Mikey Keene injury updates: The latest on Michigan offensive players

Michigan Wolverines football lost junior running back Justice Haynes to an abdominal injury midway through the second quarter in a 31-13 loss to Southern California Saturday evening in Los Angeles. Haynes returned to the sideline in full uniform for the second half, likely could have re-entered the game but didn’t make another appearance.

Head coach Sherrone Moore shared an update on Haynes during his Monday press conference.

“Good,” Moore said of how Haynes is feeling. “He was better yesterday, so we’ll see as the week goes, but I feel good about it.”

Before leaving the game, Haynes rushed 10 times for 51 yards. On the season, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound Alpharetta, Ga., native has racked up 705 yards and 8 touchdowns on 95 carries and another 31 yards on 10 receptions. Before the USC game, he had rushed for 100-plus yards and at least 1 touchdown in every contest — the first Michigan player to do so in his first five games in a winged helmet. Haynes transferred in from Alabama this past offseason.

Graduate quarterback Mikey Keene, meanwhile, has yet to make his Michigan debut after transferring in from Fresno State and being billed as a contender to compete with freshman Bryce Underwood for the starting job. Keene was hurt just before spring practices began but is recovering.

Keene traveled for Michigan’s road game at USC but was still third on the depth chart, with sophomore Jadyn Davis earning mop-up duty once Underwood and other starters were taken out late in the lopsided affair.

Moore was asked if Keene is full go and if he could compete for the No. 2 job.

“Yeah, he’s healthy,” Moore said Monday. “He feels really good. So, we’ll see how that goes throughout the year and what we want to do in that situation.”

Keene, who played for new Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey at Central Florida in 2022, has still been a valuable asset despite not receiving any playing time to this point.

“He’s been great,” Moore said. “He’s been like a coach, so he’s been outstanding. I love having Mikey around. I love his attitude. I love the way he works.

“He goes on scout team and does his part. He controls the offense, he controls everything. So, he does everything he can to help the team, so he’s been outstanding.”

Underwood — Michigan’s 6-foot-4, 228-pound freshman from Detroit — has benefitted from being around Keene this season.

“Mikey Keene has been more of a leader for me, honestly,” Underwood said. “Just pushing me every day to be the best — mentally, physically. Making sure that I’m OK emotionally, everything like that, just keeping my head on straight, everything like that.”