ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan football’s best wide receiver, Ronnie Bell, will miss the rest of the 2021 season due to a knee injury, Jim Harbaugh announced Monday.
Bell suffered the injury in Michigan’s 47-14 opening win over Western Michigan. The senior caught a 76-yard touchdown pass in the contest and also returned a punt 31 yards. The injury happened at the end of that punt return, and Bell had to be helped off the field.
He was later taken from the sideline to the tunnel on a cart.
Bell has been Michigan’s best receiver each of the last two seasons, catching a combined 74 passes for 1,159 yards. Though Michigan has raw talent and speed throughout its wide receiver room, replacing Bell will be impossible.
Cornelius Johnson will be asked to take over as the team’s No. 1 receiver, with Roman Wilson, A.J. Henning, Daylen Baldwin and Mike Sainristil as candidates for increased roles. Freshmen Andrel Anthony and Christian Dixon could also enter the mix at some point.
Bell was far and away the favorite target of starting quarterback Cade McNamara, and his injury will change the complexion of the offense going forward. Michigan’s next game is Saturday night against Washington at the Big House.