Drake Johnson Won't Return, Next Year For Grant Newsome
[Patrick Barron]
Welcome to random newsdump day! Harbaugh's press conference has two bits of information that are front-page worthy. Information #1:
Drake Johnson will not return to the Michigan football team, according to Harbaugh
— Orion Sang (@orion_sang) April 10, 2017
Johnson would have been a rotation piece in the backfield; they still have Evans, Higdon, Isaac, and Kareem Walker along with O'Maury Samuels arriving in the fall. On-field impact should be low. FWIW, this has been likely for a couple months now and Michigan recruited like it.
Before Drake Johnson fades into legend let us remember one of the greatest anecdotes of all time.
"I'm sitting in [Fred Jackson's] office, and there was a fridge right over there, and he's like, 'You hungry?'" Johnson said. "I'm like, 'No man, I'm not hungry.' So he's like, 'OK, I'm going to grab myself a Coke.' So he grabs himself a Coke and he sits down.
"He takes maybe two sips, and he's like, 'Hey Drake, you want something to drink?' And I'm like, 'No, I'm still good.' He's like, 'I think I'm going to get myself an orange juice.' I'm like, 'Dude, you have a Coke in front of you.' He says, 'It's fine.'
"So I'm sitting there, and maybe two minutes later, he's like, 'I think I'm going to get myself a drink,' and I'm like, 'Coach, you already got two drinks in front of you, man! Your thirst can be quenched by what's in front of you.'
"He says, 'I'm just going to grab myself some water. You want some water?' And I'm like, "Nooo, I have Gatorade in my hand, guy. It's fine.'"
Let him take up his place in the Jibreel Black wing of the Michigan Hall of Fame where we put all the folks who didn't have a huge on-field impact but were nonetheless delightful.
Information #2:
Jim Harbaugh says there has been some difficulty in Grant Newsome's recovery - thinks he will be back next year instead of this year
— Orion Sang (@orion_sang) April 10, 2017
Newsome's return was always 50/50 at best, and now it's probably 10/90. He does have a redshirt available, which he'll take, and hope to return as a redshirt junior next year. Michigan's looking at Cole, Bredeson, Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Nolan Ulizio, and incoming freshmen for their two tackle spots.
I think the best part of that quote on Fred Jackson's open bar was when he flat-out calls him "guy." Never gets old.
Also in that 2012 article with the Fred Jackson quote:
"Johnson said he is looking forward to running behind Michigan's future offensive line, after it signed the nation's No. 4 class at that position for 2012 (according to Rivals) and could ink the No. 1 class for 2013 in February."
D'oh.
Few players have seen harder luck in their time in a Michigan uniform.
Also, will admit to having initially read Grant Newsome and Grant Perry and my reaction was... less than enthusiastic.
And here I thought that today was going to be a slow news day around the Michigan interwebz. What's the scuttlebutt on Johnson and him not returning? Also, here's to hoping he doesn't run afoul of anymore forklifts in his future endeavors.
stay healthy and have a great season! Hopefully Grant can fully recover and play again in 2018
Thank you for your time here and you made a real impact.
I'm bummed we won't see you on the field again but here's to your future - I'm sure it is bright!
April 10th, 2017 at 11:10 PM ^
Reminded him of Macallan 25, only smoother and more complex.
April 10th, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^
I couldn't figure out why this part, particularly the second line, was so funny to me:
You already got two drinks in front of you, man! Your thirst can be quenched by what's in front of you
Then I realized it's because it sounds like the punchline to a Mitch Hedberg joke, and I'm hearing it in my head in Mitch's voice.
April 10th, 2017 at 10:31 PM ^
Saved by the buoyancy of citrus. RIP
April 11th, 2017 at 12:44 AM ^
If I recalled he walked off the field after the injury. But I guess his knee was really messed up. Hopefully he can heal and rehab this season and be ready for next season.
You must have missed the story where he was in the hospital for a month afterwords.
I don't know if he'll ever get back to starting form but I think it will be a good thing if Newsome can just play football again.
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