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Michigan corner Channing Stribling says Jourdan Lewis looks 'ready to roll.'

(Melanie Maxwell | MLive.com)

ANN ARBOR -- Jourdan Lewis hasn't let his injuries dampen his spirit or his trademark confidence.

Lewis, Michigan's All-American cornerback, has missed the first three games of the season with a string of minor injuries but could make his season debut Saturday against Penn State.

As far as teammates are concerned, it'll be the same old Lewis.

"It's the same old JD, he's never going to lose his swagger, he's still the same guy," senior corner Channing Stribling said Tuesday. "He was talking trash during the game the other day when he wasn't even playing.

"That's just him."

Stribling said Lewis was back at practice Tuesday and "looked good" as the team went through its second work day of the week.

On Monday, coach Jim Harbaugh said he was "very hopeful" to get Lewis back on the field this weekend against the Nittany Lions. Lewis had a muscle strain in his back at the end of fall camp, but also suffered a strain in both his quad and his hamstring during the early portion of the season.

Through it all, though, Michigan's been very impressed with its senior leader.

"Personally, I've found that the only time football isn't fun is when you don't win or if you're just not 100 percent," Harbaugh said. "If it's a broken leg, that's one thing. Or a broken arm and you know it's just bad luck and you're out. But when it's that thing that's just nagging, it's not something where it's broke but it's real.

"But he's done a fantastic job. The guy has been a stud. Jourdan's been a real stud in everything that he's done. Every preparation that he's made in the offseason, everything that he's doing now. He's put himself in a position to have success. It's all been A++ and I'm very hopeful this is the week he can get back on the field and play."

While Michigan has confidence in both Stribling and fellow senior corner Jeremy Clark, Lewis is well-known as one of the top man-to-man players in the country -- perhaps the best.

Just having him on the field is something that gives everyone a confidence boost, Stribling says.

"He's good now, he's ready to roll," Stribling said. "When (he's in) we know somebody's going to get locked down. One side (of the field) is going to get locked down. The D-line is going to rush and we'll have a good game. ... We know he's a great cover guy, great defender, great tackler.

"We know that one side of the field is locked down (when he's in) and, for him, I'm sure he'll think both me and Jerm, our side will be locked down, too. So both sides can have that type of comfort level."