Michigan’s Will Johnson ‘in a good place’ after exiting USC game with injury

ANN ARBOR – Michigan's Will Johnson made the play of the game for the team's defense Saturday against No. 11 USC.

The All-American cornerback jumped a hitch route to intercept Miller Moss and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown in a 27-20 victory at Michigan Stadium to open Big Ten play. The score – his program-record-tying third pick-six of his career – gave the 18th-ranked Wolverines a 20-10 lead at the 5:26 mark of the third quarter, but he exited the game in the fourth with an injury.

Johnson was seen walking up the tunnel at Michigan Stadium and was headed to the X-ray room, according to the CBS broadcast.

The junior and projected 2025 first-round pick later returned to the sidelines and was an option to reenter the game, head coach Sherrone Moore said postgame.

"He came back and he could have went back in, but we held him," Moore said when asked about Johnson's status. "He's in a good place, and I thought those other guys did an outstanding job."

With Johnson sidelined, graduate transfer Aamir Hall, an FCS All-American at Albany last season, took most of the cornerback reps across from Jyaire Hill. Hill finished with a team-high six tackles and two pass breakups, while Hall recorded one tackle.

Johnson is one of the most vital pillars of Michigan's defense. The former five-star recruit out of Grosse Pointe South has two pick-sixes this season and nine interceptions in his career.

Michigan was already without another one of its top players Saturday in tight end Colston Loveland. He had 37% of the team's receptions through the first three games, despite leaving last week's win over Arkansas State in the third quarter and not returning.

Moore and tight ends coach Steve Casula expressed optimism earlier in the week that Loveland would be available against the Trojans, but the star tight end was ruled out a couple hours before kickoff. Without Loveland, the Wolverines ran the ball on 46 of 58 offensive plays, finishing with 290 rushing yards to 32 yards through the air.

Moore did not give an update on Loveland after the game.

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