Jim Harbaugh gives injury updates, discusses what he's learned about Michigan through three games

Michigan Wolverines football accomplished two of its three major goals in the non-conference schedule against lesser teams: To win and get better. The third was to stay healthy, and while the Maize and Blue don’t appear to have any major injuries at this point, there are some minor ones that are a bit concerning with Big Ten play beginning against Maryland this week.

Senior left guard Trevor Keegan was in and out of the lineup in the second game against Hawai’i, before starting last week against UConn but leaving early. An apparent arm injury continues to linger, but Harbaugh, speaking on the Inside Michigan Football Radio show Monday night, sounded optimistic about his chances of returning for the start of the conference season.

“Probable. I think he will be [playing],” Harbaugh told host Jon Jansen.

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Michigan sophomore Giovanni El-Hadi has been the next man up at that spot, and he’s played well in his first few games of significant action. He’s played 125 snaps, the fourth-most out of any player on the Wolverines’ offense.

“He’s done good. He’s stepped in in each of the ball games,” Harbaugh noted. “He’s a vastly improved player. It’s fun to watch. He continues to try to get his pad level lower, but he’s a strong man, and he’s doing a heck of a good job. He’s been a real bright spot for the offense.”

The injury to Keegan, a minor ailment for graduate left tackle Ryan Hayes, which held him out of the season opener against Colorado State, and a high ankle sprain for versatile senior Karsen Barnhart has challenged the Michigan offensive line’s depth.

“I think it’s good,” Harbaugh said of the depth. “It’ll be better when Karsen Barnhart is back and healthy. We’ll see if that’s this week or the next.”

Michigan also saw sophomore running back Donovan Edwards go down late in the first half of the victory over Hawai’i, and he didn’t dress or play against UConn. The head coach noted last week that Edwards has been working through something minor for a few weeks.

Despite not being able to play, Edwards was one of the most energetic Wolverines on the sideline Saturday afternoon. He’s kept his spirits high inside Schembechler Hall, too.

“[He’s doing] good,” Harbaugh said of Edwards’ recovery. “He’s just doing him, and that’s what I always tell Donovan, ‘You just do you, Donovan.’ He’s working hard at it. No loss of the tremendous energy that he brings. I was in the training room today, and he was bouncing around, doing his thing. It’s just, ‘Hey Donovan, you do you.’ He’s looking for all the opportunity he can, and he’s doing good.”

Michigan senior quarterback Cade McNamara was hit a couple times late in the first half of the win over the Huskies, and he’ll likely miss a few weeks, Harbaugh said after the game. He didn’t provide much more on McNamara’s status Monday, and he wouldn’t reveal who the backup quarterback to sophomore J.J. McCarthy will be for the time being.

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” Harbaugh said when asked how long McNamara will be out. “We’ll see. I’m sure he’ll be a fast healer. [He’s a] tough as nails type of guy. It’s going to rehab for a little while here — some rest and treatment.

“Dealt with the quarterback position and talked about that, but … there’s not a quarterback controversy of who the backup quarterback will be. I like three guys a lot — [sophomore] Davis Warren, [graduate] Alan Bowman, [freshman] Alex Orji. They were all getting reps today, all doing good.

“The team has confidence in all three. It could be a combination. But I’m excited about that group.”

Michigan played eight quarterbacks against UConn, seven of whom completed passes. Harbaugh said associate athletic director Dave Ablauf is looking into it but that they believe the number of completions is a Michigan record.

What Jim Harbaugh has learned about Michigan through three weeks

Michigan has won all three of its games in blowout fashion — 51-7 over Colorado State, 56-10 over Hawai’i and 59-0 over UConn. But beatdowns or not, the Wolverines are 25 percent done with the regular season, and Harbaugh has been able to glean quite a bit about his team.

“It’s a lot,” the Michigan coach said of what he’s learned to this point. “A quarter of the season is gone. We’ve played three of the 12 games, and it’s been fine, it’s been good. So many real bright spots, and you’re just kind of building on that.

“I guess the thing we know now is the momentum that was built last season, the momentum that continued into the offseason, which we felt so good about — the winter cycle, the training that went in, the spring practice, the summer cycle, the training camp was outstanding. We felt like it was good, getting better every day, and that’s continued into the season.”

Big Ten games count twice as much, Harbaugh has said in the past, and Michigan is champing at the bit to defend its 2021 conference title.

“Win the next game — that’s always first and foremost,” Harbaugh said. “And secondly, the conference games count toward the conference championship, and that’s one of our goals. We’re excited about that challenge. I don’t think there’s a guy in the building who’s not. Judging by the way everybody was moving around today, yeah, they know what time it is.”