Michigan Could Have Mario Manningham Back Soon

The No. 2 Wolverines might get their missing big-play receiver back Saturday against Ball State.

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said wide reciever Mario Manningham would return to practice Tuesday after missing the team's past three games after knee surgery.

"I don't know when it will be, but I have every confidence that unless there's a setback that he's going to play pretty shortly," Carr told reporters Monday.

With Manningham out of the lineup, Michigan (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) has had to play even more conservatively than normal.

"We'll just have to see how he does [Tuesday] or Wednesday, but he can run, I can tell you that, he can run," Carr told reporters.

Not having Manningham "definitely takes away a deep threat," quarterback Chad Henne said, "and teams are playing us to take away the big play."

Henne threw 13 touchdown passes in those first six games, including nine to Manningham, but has managed only two in his last three outings.

Against the Wildcats (2-7, 0-5), Henne completed 10 of 20 passes for 116 yards and a 14-yard first-quarter TD to Adrian Arrington.