Michigan football injury updates vs. ECU: Amorion Walker out, Will Johnson questionable
Michigan football will be without at least six players in Saturday's season-opener (12:06 p.m. EST, East Carolina), including springtime breakouts, defensive back Amorion Walker and wide receiver Peyton O'Leary.
The Big Ten is requiring "availability reports" for the first time this season and those are U-M's two most notable players who will not dress, along with Jimmy Rolder (linebacker), Tavierre Dunlap (running back), German Green (defensive back) and Logan Forbes (wide receiver), the only known long term.
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The list of players who are "questionable" for U-M is quite lengthy, and headlined by last year's Freshman All-American defensive back Will Johnson, the projected starting safety room in Rod Moore and Makari Paige, and two of the three top projected wide receivers in Cornelius Johnson and Tyler Morris.
Also listed as uncertain for the game: Darrius Clemons (wide receiver), Cole Cabana (running back), Danny Hughes (running back) and Matt Hibner (tight end).
Walker was said to be the favorite to win the starting cornerback job opposite Johnson, but was seen on crutches last month and hasn't been mentioned in the cornerback rotation the last two times coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter spoke.
UMass transfer Josh Wallace is expected to get the start, while Ja'Den McBurrows and Keshaun Harris have both been mentioned as possible options.
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O'Leary, meanwhile, had his own breakout in the spring against Walker, when he caught six passes for 126 yards and a touchdown in the spring game and quickly became one of the fastest risers in the room. He was mentioned in the same sentence with Morris as the pass catchers who appear next in line in the pecking order behind Johnson and Roman Wilson.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football injury updates vs. East Carolina: Secondary banged up
