Michigan football will be searching for a bounce-back win against Minnesota this weekend, but the Wolverines might not have one of their best defenders.
John Henry Daley suffered an injury at the end of the Iowa game, which is why the clock stopped with two seconds left. As a result of that, he is going to be questionable for the Minnesota game, according to Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham.
Whittingham provided a status update on the preseason All-American who has been Michigan's most consistent pass rusher through the first four games.
Michigan HC Kyle Whittingham says on "Inside Michigan Football" that John Henry Daley will be questionable to play against Minnesota:
— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) September 28, 2026
"He's doing okay. He's walking, which is a positive — without a boot, without crutches."
"He's doing okay. He's walking, which is a positive — without a boot, without crutches," Whittingham said on Inside Michigan football.
Henry Daley is fifth on the team in tackles (16). He's also leading the team in sacks with three and 4.5 tackles for loss. The former Utah Ute has been everything he was advertised as being out of the transfer portal.
So far, Henry Daley has played like a first-round pick.
One positive for Michigan if John Henry Daley has to miss the Minnesota game
If Henry Daley has to miss the game, it won't be the end of the world. Michigan is going to want to have all hands on deck for Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey. The Gophers' pass offense has been prolific.
Minnesota is averaging 377 yards of total offense, but 258 passing yards per game. Stopping the run can put more pressure on the quarterback, but there is no substitute for a good pass rush.
The good news is that Dominic Nichols, Nate Marshall, and Tariq Boney have all registered two sacks this season at EDGE. Five-star signee Carter Meadows is another player the Wolverines can turn to if needed.
Boney has been incredibly productive for a freshman. It's hard to believe he was ranked hundreds of spots lower than Meadows coming out of high school. He looks like an absolute steal.
So even if Henry Daley has to miss the game, Michigan football at least has quality depth, which isn't always something a team can say when it's down its best pass rusher.
That doesn't mean Michigan isn't hoping against hope that Henry Daley can play. He might be the best pass rusher in the Big Ten. Beyond that, he's a stellar run defender.
The other pass rushers have probably benefited from Henry Daley, too, so if you take him out of the mix, the production could drop off.
It shouldn't drop off that much, though.
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