Metellus eligible for Maryland game

Michigan safety Josh Metellus strips the ball from Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks after a short run by Franks in a game earlier this season. Metellus is eligible to play this weekend at Maryland after his ejection Saturday against Minnesota.

ANN ARBOR — Jim Harbaugh was dumbstruck Saturday by an official’s reasoning in explaining Josh Metellus’ ejection against Minnesota.

A Big Ten spokesman confirmed to The Blade that Metellus will be eligible for this week’s game at Maryland. Michigan said it was going to going appeal the ejection, though it wasn’t clear if that’s why Metellus is eligible on Saturday.

Harbaugh said the official told him that he didn’t want to lose control of the game. The incident in question occurred during the third quarter of MIchigan’s 33-10 win over Minnesota after Minnesota offensive lineman Donnell Greene threw multiple punches at Michigan players.

In the replay, Metellus can be seen standing near Greene, but he didn’t appear to do anything that warranted an ejection.

“There was a little pushing going on,” Michigan safety Tyree Kinnel said. “I was pushing him off one of my players. But it was definitely in between the whistle, and that reaction wasn’t so deserving. But it happened and my teammates came in and got my back. The ref wanted to control the game, so he felt like they should call it on both teams and they ended up getting Josh Metellus. It’s an unfortunate situation. Hopefully we can learn from it, but I definitely think it was on them.”

Contact Kyle Rowland at krowland@theblade.com, 419-724-6110 or on Twitter @KyleRowland.