Angelique S. Chengelis

The Detroit News

Ann Arbor – Popular Michigan running back Drake Johnson will not play this year and the hope is he will be able to play next season.

Johnson, a fifth-year senior, has been plagued by injuries during his career. He has endured two anterior cruciate ligament knee injuries and last spring was involved in a freak accident in the indoor track building and was run over by a forklift while he was stretching.

He has been hampered by hamstring issues this fall and can’t quite reach his full capacity running the ball. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, speaking to reporters Monday night after his radio show, said it was Johnson’s decision to sit out this season.

“I think we’ll have an opportunity for another year next year,” Harbaugh said Monday. “We talked about it. There was two options. He just hasn’t been able to get to the top, reaching that high gear. He hasn’t quite got there. I think it’s better not to push something that’s not there. Train and come back next year.”

Johnson has 641 career rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. He ran for 271 yards and four touchdowns last season. In 2014 he ran for 361 yards and gave the Wolverines a late boost that season before tearing his knee ligament at Ohio State. He suffered his first torn ACL in the 2013 season opener.

Obama’s clothing request

Harbaugh said President Barack Obama, after appearing at the Hillary Clinton rally at UM on Monday, requested a Michigan football sweat outfit.

“To take to the golf course,” Harbaugh said. “That will be in the mail tomorrow.”

Obama did mention Michigan’s 9-0 football record before making his remarks.

“He’s a great guy,” Harbaugh said. “I thought it was tremendous. He gave our team a shout-out. That was neat. The President of the United States mentions the football team you’re part of, that’s pretty neat.”

Harbaugh said his son, James, a sophomore student at Michigan, was in the audience for the president’s speech, as was Michigan receiver Jehu Chesson.

Harbaugh plans to vote on Tuesday but said that beyond one-on-one conversations about voting with some of the players, he hasn’t lectured them about voting.

“No, I haven’t made a dramatic plea to get out to vote,” he said.

Getting his kicks

Since Kenny Allen missed two field goals against Wisconsin – Michigan missed three in that game – he has come back from a week of kicking competition to make his last six attempts.

“Talking to Kenny, he was going too fast,” Harbaugh said. “The (snap, hold, kick) operation was happening too fast. The rhythm was sped up, but he’s hitting it solid. He puts in work on it every day. I see the result just like you do, but he’s working diligently. The glaring thing to me and to him, his time had sped up so much, it was taking away from the rhythm of the operation.”

Freshman player updates

Harbaugh had high praise for freshman cornerback Lavert Hill and compared him to All-American Jourdan Lewis.

“He’s a young Jourdan Lewis-type of player,” Harbaugh said. “He’s playing at a real good level right now.”

Freshman Michael Onwenu is settling in on the offensive line. Harbaugh has said on several occasions that Onwenu likely is destined to play offensive line, although he did play some on the defensive line earlier this season.

“His best position long term will be as an offensive lineman,” Harbaugh said. “He’ll contribute more in college and in pro football as an offensive lineman. The fact is, he is a big, big man.”

Another Woody Hayes reference

A few weeks ago Harbaugh debuted his new glasses and said late Ohio State coach Woody Hayes was one of his inspirations for the frames he selected.

A reporter from BBC Sport asked him a question Monday night, and Harbaugh made a quick aside.

“Tip of the cat to the BBC on the documentary they did on Wayne Woodrow Hayes in the ’70s,” Harbaugh said to the reporter. “That’s one of my favorite documentaries I’ve ever seen.”

She told him she had not seen that documentary and Harbaugh directed her to YouTube.

Harbaugh loves Homer, SpongeBob

Harbaugh was included in dialogue from “The Simpsons” on Sunday night and he got a good laugh while discussing it with host Jim Brandstatter during the “Inside Michigan Football show” Monday.

Homer Simpson called Marge Simpson after a lacrosse game.

“Kirk is like a sports genius who everybody hates,” Homer said.

“Worse than Jim Harbaugh?” Marge said.

“You know, people have been making sport of me for ever since I can remember, my earliest memories, five, six, seven, in the schoolyard,” Harbaugh said. “Just my whole life, they make sport of me.

“But it’s pretty high class, the Simpsons! It’s one of my favorite shows. The animated shows, the Simpsons and SpongeBob are two of my all-time favorites.”

Harbaugh shared what he respects about SpongeBob.

“I love his attitude,” Harbaugh said. “He attacks each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. What a great employee he is. He’s a go-getter. He’s always got a bounce in his step. He’s got pizzazz.”