Michigan Wolverines running back Justice Haynes is a game-time decision for Michigan’s Week 8 matchup against Washington after exiting the loss to USC with an abdominal injury, sources told Pete Nakos of On3.
Haynes has been the engine of Michigan’s offense this season, piling up 705 rushing yards, fifth most in the nation, and eight touchdowns through six games, a production that has helped cover for an offense still finding its rhythm under a young quarterback.
Coach Sherrone Moore and his staff have tried to strike an optimistic tone all week, but the reality is simple: Haynes’s availability shapes Michigan’s game plan. Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey called Haynes’s status “probably a wait-and-see thing,” via Seth Berry of Sports Illustrated, saying he was hopeful but unsure whether the running back would suit up against the Huskies. That uncertainty forces Michigan to prepare for two very different game scripts.
If Haynes can’t go, Michigan will lean on Jordan Marshall, who has 301 rushing yards and three touchdowns this season, and redshirt sophomore Bryson Kuzdzal, who began to see the field in the loss to USC.
For Washington, the potential absence of Haynes is a strategic opening. The Huskies will still have to account for Michigan’s offensive line and playmakers, but without the threat of Haynes chewing up yards between the tackles, defenses can afford to crowd the box and dare Michigan to beat them through the air.
Haynes’s emergence this year, an Alabama transfer who has become Michigan’s primary ground threat, has not only boosted the Wolverines statistically but also given this offense a feel-good identity amid uneven play elsewhere. The junior’s burst and north-south running style make him a classic workhorse; when he’s on the field, Michigan’s play-calling can stay balanced and physical.
Still, injuries are part of football, and Michigan’s depth will face a test if Haynes can’t play. The coaching staff will have to adapt and create more offensive threats without their main provider.
Game time will settle the question. Until then, Michigan’s offense, and the Wolverines’ hopes for a signature win, hinge on one player’s ability to take the field.
