ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan football coach Brady Hoke said Saturday that Jake Ryan, the team’s leading tackler who suffered an ACL tear a few games into spring practice, could return as early an mid-October.
“I’m not a doctor,” Hoke said, “but possibly middle of October.”
It’s promising news for Ryan, who had to watch Michigan’s spring game from the sidelines on crutches Saturday. A mid-October return would place him right around Michigan’s bye week, early enough to play in both the Michigan State and Ohio State rivalry games.
Ryan led the Wolverines last season with 88 tackles, including 56 solo tackles, en route to an All-Big Ten season. He finished third in the conference in tackles for losses (16).
Because of the injury, the Wolverines have been forced to regroup, moving rush end Brennen Beyer back to the SAM linebacker position, which he played as a freshman. Beyer is competing with Cameron Gordon at the position but with a possible mid-October return, Michigan could find themselves regrouping yet again, halfway through the Big Ten season.
