After two-and-a-half seasons where Michigan has been mostly healthy save for a lingering hamstring issue for Manny Harris and nicks and bruises to other players, the Wolverines are starting to be hit with injuries.
And just as Michigan looks like it might get one player -- Jon Horford -- back from a stress fracture in his right foot, another -- Eso Akunne -- went down with an injury to his left foot.
Michigan coach John Beilein said Friday he would have Horford, a sophomore forward who has missed the past six-plus weeks with the stress fracture, go full-go in practice Friday.
"We may give him a breather here or there but we all found out that playing in practice and being in a water tank running is very different," Beilein said. "He’s got to feel comfortable and have to play at a really high level in practice for us to say ‘Hey, let’s burn this medical redshirt.’"
Beilein wouldn't commit to playing Horford on Sunday against Ohio State -- and from the way he made it sound, it will be a game-by-game decision the rest of the season until the Wolverines actually put him in a game.
Meanwhile, Akunne was scheduled to have surgery on his left foot Friday after injuring it during the first half against Purdue. While the junior guard only played sparingly, he had been inching his way into the rotation.
"Eso had really been playing well in practice, that’s why that was so disappointing," Beilein said. "He had been making in-roads. I had put him in in the first half. So now it is Matt Vogrich and Carlton (Brundidge), unfortunately there is a perimeter guard who is out for most of the season if not all of it.
"As a result, those two, they have more opportunities now."
Beilein said Vogrich has been working on handling the ball more, but he has played sparingly this season after being one of Michigan's top 3-point threats a season ago. This year, he has made just 7 of 31 3-pointers -- and only three 3-pointers in Big Ten play.