Michigan Football RB ruled out for 2026 season due to injury

Redshirt sophomore Micah Ka'apana will miss the upcoming season with a lower-leg injury, head coach Kyle Whittingham announced.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:37pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the fragmented movements and perspectives of a college football running play, conveying the disruption caused by an injury to the team's backfield.Michigan's running game faces a new challenge as the team copes with the loss of a key contributor for the 2026 season.Ann Arbor Today

Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham announced that redshirt sophomore running back Micah Ka'apana will miss the entire 2026 season due to a lower-leg injury. Ka'apana was set to be the Wolverines' fourth-string running back this year after playing limited snaps in his first two seasons.

Why it matters

Losing Ka'apana for the season is a blow to Michigan's running back depth, even though he was not expected to see significant playing time. Injuries can quickly deplete a team's roster, so maintaining depth at key positions like running back is crucial for the Wolverines' success.

The details

During his press conference on Thursday, Whittingham revealed that Ka'apana suffered a lower-leg injury and will be out for the entire 2026 campaign. The coach said Ka'apana was 'having a good spring' and is a 'tough kid' who will return in 2027. With Ka'apana sidelined, Michigan will rely more heavily on Jordan Marshall, Savion Hiter and Bryson Kuzdzal at running back this season.

  • On April 9, 2026, Whittingham announced Ka'apana's season-ending injury.

The players

Kyle Whittingham

The head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football team.

Micah Ka'apana

A redshirt sophomore running back for the Michigan Wolverines who will miss the 2026 season due to a lower-leg injury.

Jordan Marshall

A running back for the Michigan Wolverines who is expected to see increased playing time with Ka'apana's injury.

Savion Hiter

A running back for the Michigan Wolverines who is expected to see increased playing time with Ka'apana's injury.

Bryson Kuzdzal

A running back for the Michigan Wolverines who is expected to see increased playing time with Ka'apana's injury.

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What they’re saying

“'One big downer, Micah, running back, Ka'apana, is out for the season. Lower-leg injury, so we'll miss him. It's unfortunate, but so far we've been healthy other than that. That's a loss for us, something that I'm sure he'll return from and be back for the '27 season, but it looks like he's gonna be out for the '26 season.'”

— Kyle Whittingham, Head Coach, Michigan Wolverines

What’s next

The Wolverines will need to determine their running back rotation for the 2026 season without Ka'apana, with Marshall, Hiter and Kuzdzal expected to see increased roles.

The takeaway

Injuries are an unfortunate part of football, and Michigan's depth at running back will be tested by Ka'apana's season-ending injury. However, the Wolverines have other capable backs who will need to step up to maintain the team's offensive production in 2026.