Michigan star RB Justice Haynes to undergo surgery for foot injury

If Michigan football is going to stay within striking distance of Ohio State going into its regular-season finale, it will have to do so without star running back Justice Haynes, it appears.

The junior is set to undergo surgery on his right foot this week, two sources familiar with the situation but granted anonymity since they’re not permitted to speak on the situation publicly, confirmed to the Free Press on Sunday, Nov. 2.

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The expectation around the program is that Haynes will use U-M’s bye week to rest, and sit against both Northwestern and Maryland, but he could be back in action against the Buckeyes on Nov. 29.

Haynes, who joined the program as an offseason transfer from Alabama, injured his foot late in the Wolverines’ 31-20 victory over Michigan State in East Lansing on Oct. 25. Against the Spartans, he ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Haynes was sidelined for U-M’s 21-16 victory over Purdue on Nov. 1 and was seen on the field wearing a boot on his right foot while riding a scooter.

Haynes has been a star for U-M in his first season in Ann Arbor, setting new career marks in carries (121), rushing yards (857), yards per carry (7.1) and touchdowns (10). In the six games he has finished, he has amassed at least 100 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Haynes’ only other appearance for Michigan, against USC in October, featured 10 rushes for 51 yards before he left in the second quarter with an injury to his midsection. That kept him out of the following week’s win over Washington.

Without Haynes, the Wolverines will turn to Jordan Marshall, the redshirt freshman who has shined in Haynes’s absence.

Marshall has run 124 times for 729 yards (5.9 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns. That includes three straight games with more than 100 yards – vs. Washington (133), Michigan State (110) and a career-high against Purdue (185) when he also scored all three touchdowns for the Wolverines.

Michigan is off this week before hitting the road to face Northwestern on Nov. 15 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.