ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan football's struggling offense took a big hit Monday when Jim Harbaugh announced freshman receiver Tarik Black will have surgery for a "crack in his foot."
Harbaugh said it's unclear if Black will return before the end of the season.
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Black is Michigan's leading receiver through three games. He's caught 11 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. He made a career-high five catches for 55 yards against Air Force.
Michigan's offense has struggled mightily through three games, especially when it comes to red zone efficiency. The Wolverines have scored one touchdown in 10 red zone opportunities, and Black was figured to be a receiver who could emerge as a popular target in those situations.
At 6 feet 4 inches tall, Black wasn't only the most polished wide receiver on the field, he was one of the biggest targets for quarterback Wilton Speight.
Now, the Wolverines will rely more heavily on sophomore Kekoa Crawford and freshman Donovan Peoples-Jones to shoulder the receiving load. Crawford hasn't looked comfortable as the team's No. 1 receiver so far, and Peoples-Jones just got in on the offensive mix Saturday for the first time.
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Speight hasn't been consistent on downfield passes, and now he'll need to improve without one of his top downfield targets.
Harbaugh will likely turn to his young group of tight ends to help lessen the blow. Zach Gentry, Nick Eubanks and Sean McKeon have all shown signs of being weapons in the passing game, and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. has the size and catching ability to be a red zone threat.
The Wolverines' greatest weakness has been the passing game, and Black's injury digs the hold a little deeper.
Michigan's next test will come against Purdue, which has undergone a remarkable turnaround under new head coach Jeff Brohm. The laughingstock of the West Division in recent years, Purdue looks like a very tough matchup after nearly knocking off Louisville in week one and dominating Ohio and Missouri in the two most recent games.
Harbaugh has recruited the receiver position hard over the last two seasons, and now he'll need that depth to pay off.