Will Johnson 'Is Going To Try' To Play Against Iowa In The B1G Championship Game
Michigan's star cornerback Will Johnson is hopeful to play against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday night. The sophomore standout was seen in the first half covering Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr but wasn't seen on the field for most of the second half last Saturday.
In fact, Johnson was spotted with a heavy wrap on his lower leg against the Buckeyes.
On Tuesday night, Johnson met with reporters and was asked about his health. Johnson admitted he's feeling better than he was on Saturday, and while he hopes to play against Iowa, it's not definite the first-team All-Big Ten corner will be on the field.
“I feel pretty good,” Johnson said on Tuesday. “Feeling a lot better than I did on Saturday [against Ohio State]. I just tweaked a little something. But I’ll be good.”
“I’m going to try my best to be out there on Saturday,” he said.
Before exiting the game, Johnson made a big play himself for Michigan. On the third drive for Ohio State, Johnson made the first statement of The Game when he intercepted Kyle McCord.
Johnson said he had a general idea of what the Buckeyes were wanting to run for Harrison. He said he was trying to bait Harrison and Ohio State to run the slant and when McCord threw the ball, Jonson jumped the route.
“I kind of had an idea what the play might have been and what they might have ran and he was probably gonna run that slant,” Johnson said. “So I’m really just trying to kind of bait him into it a little bit and not let them know that I knew it was coming. But jumping once I saw it, so after that ball just was right there when I saw it and tried to score it.”
Will Johnson vs. Marvin Harrison Jr.
Photo: Christopher Breiler
Johnson did get beat later on when McCord hit Harrison for a long gain, but Johnson was able to hit Harrison early for a pass interference call that might have saved a touchdown from happening. Johnson said Ohio State caught the Wolverines in the "perfect defense" to run that play.
When Johnson wasn't able to play into the third quarter, Michigan moved Mike Sainristil to outside and inserted Ja'Den McBurrows into the lineup. Johnson credits Michigan for getting a good rotation started earlier in the season with Rod Moore, Makari Paige, and Johnson himself were banged up. The backup corners and safeties have enough experience that they can make big plays in big games.
“That goes back to the earlier games when I wasn’t playing and those guys were getting those reps,” Johnson said. “Now they get to go in when the moments are huge — when the moments are big — and feel comfortable out there.
“It’s late in the season so people are going to have tweaks and injuries, so that’s big.”
Michigan will face Iowa on Saturday in Indianapolis and it will air on FOX at 8:00 p.m. ET.
