Hart injures right ankle in first half against Purdue

Associated Press

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan's Mike Hart was limited to playing just the first half of the Wolverines' 48-21 victory over Purdue on Saturday after limping to the sideline with an apparent right ankle injury.

After coming out in the second quarter, Hart appeared to be relatively healthy in the second half as he smiled and laughed with teammates while watching the game.

"Talk to coach [Lloyd] Carr," he said repeatedly as he walked off the field after the game.

Carr bristled during his news conference when asked about the extent of the injury and whether it would keep Hart out of the next game at No. 18 Illinois, but was a little more forthcoming during Michigan's radio broadcast.

"How much swelling and how he feels in these next couple of days will really be the determining factor on what it looks like in terms of him coming back," he said. "He's a tough guy, a quick healer."

Hart's teammates expect him to be on the field.

"It's going to take a lot to keep Mike off that field," safety Jamar Adams said. "Somehow, he's going to find his way out there."

Against Purdue, Hart had 21 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns that helped build a 31-7 halftime lead. He set a school record with his seventh straight 100-yard game.

Brandon Minor, Hart's backup, limped off the field during the first drive of the second half after he appeared to hurt his left ankle. Minor later left the stadium with a protective boot covering his left foot.

Third-string running back Carlos Brown scored twice in the fourth quarter.

Hart became Michigan's career rushing leader last week and entered Saturday's game as the nation's leading rusher.

The senior moved past Wisconsin's Anthony Davis for fifth among the Big Ten's career rushing leaders with 4,757. He trails Wisconsin's Ron Dayne -- who ran for a conference-record 7,125 yards -- Ohio State's Archie Griffin, Indiana's Anthony Thompson and Michigan State's Lorenzo White.

Hart finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting last year. He aided his bid to win the award with a made-for-TV play late in the first quarter. He ran to the left, landed on his back atop a teammate, rolled off, kept himself off the turf by extending his right arm and scored on an 11-yard run.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press