The Wolverines will be without starting TE Marlin Klein while RB Justice Haynes and DT Trey Pierce both appear to be gametime decisions.
It will be a game-time decision for perhaps Michigan football’s best offensive weapon.
Running back Justice Haynes, who left last week’s 31-13 road loss to USC with an injury to his midsection, is listed as “questionable” in the Wolverines’ pregame availability report, which Big Ten teams are required to provide to the league office two hours before every kickoff.
Haynes was said to be “questionable” by coach Sherrone Moore on Monday, Oct 13, just two days after the head man said he “probably could’ve gone” in the second half against the Trojans, but U-M held him back out of an abundance of caution for their star ball carrier.
Haynes has been the engine that’s powered the attack under new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey in 2025. He has rushed 95 times for 705 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns, all tops on the team through six weeks as well as career highs.
Going into the USC clash, Moore got the Heisman hype train going, calling him an “animal” and saying he should be in consideration for the nation’s most prestigious award.
The numbers were certainly eye popping, especially compared to Jordan Marshall, who runs behind the same line and will now (possibly) be required to carry the bulk of the weight. U-M’s redshirt freshman back has run 59 times for 301 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and three touchdowns, two of which came against Central Michigan in a 63-3 rout. He could be asked to carry the bulk of the ground game vs. the Huskies, with the expectation U-M will lean on Bryce Underwood's legs more, too.
Elsewhere, starting tight end Marlin Klein is listed as out. He starred in the season-opener, catching six passes for 93 yards and a touchdown but suffered a lower body injury the next week in practice and missed Week 2 at Oklahoma.
He's played the past four weeks but caught just six passes for 49 yards during that time. The tight end room has been down as a whole this year and being without the most reliable player in the room certainly doesn't help. It's unclear what happened to Klein as he didn't get visibly banged up against USC.
The last notable development is starting defensive tackle Trey Pierce, who's listed as questionable as well.
The starting defensive tackle left last week's game in Los Angeles with what appeared to be a lower body injury. He was scheduled to meet with media earlier in the week when a team spokesman said "something came up" and instead brought in fellow interior lineman Damon Payne.
Though his numbers aren't eye-popping with 15 tackles (10 solo), U-M staffers have said he's graded out in their system as one of the top two defensive linemen essentially every week.
Michigan availability: Starting TE Marlin Klein is OUT while star RB Justice Haynes and starting DT Trey Pierce are both questionable. pic.twitter.com/l7EZJj4xG0
— Tony Garcia | Detroit Free Press (@RealTonyGarcia) October 18, 2025
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football may be without three starters vs. Washington, including Justice Haynes
Category: General Sports
