Michigan RB coach Mike Hart: I'm 'trending in a positive direction' after scare at Indiana

Michigan football running backs coach Mike Hart, who suddenly collapsed on the sideline during Saturday's game at Indiana, released a statement through the team's social media accounts on Monday morning with an update on his health status.

"I would like to thank everyone for their support, messages, and prayers," the statement reads. "I am truly grateful for the trainers and paramedics, the doctors and nurses at IU Hospital, Michigan's team doctors, coaching staff, players and coach Harbaugh. I would also like to thank IU's football staff and team doctors. I will never forget everyone's kindness and generosity. My wife and I are thankful to be surrounded by such incredible people.

"Health-wise, I am back in Ann Arbor and things are trending in a positive direction. I look forward to rejoining our team soon."

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Hart, the program's all-time leading rusher from 2004-07 and running backs coach the past two seasons, reportedly had a seizure on the sideline during the first quarter of Michigan's 31-10 victory in Bloomington, Indiana, on Saturday.

The sideline surrounded him, everybody on both teams took a knee and play stopped for more than 10 minutes as Hart was stabilized and loaded onto a cart before being taken to a local hospital.

Michigan players, notably running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards were visibly upset on the sideline as they watched Hart get carted off the field. Coach Jim Harbaugh said he had never experienced anything like that before and immediately it "put things in perspective" and that he and the players' first and foremost concern was Hart's health.

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"It's one of those things you obviously never want to see," Corum said after the game. "It was obviously hard to see because of the relationship I have with coach Hart, the love I have for him. I don't know how to answer your question right now, it's just something you don't want to see."

The status of Hart, who stayed overnight Saturday in an Indiana hospital, remains unclear, as does the timetable for his return. The program has not yet specified who may take over his vacancy as running backs coach in the interim.

Michigan has its biggest test of the season thus far on Saturday, when it hosts No. 10 Penn State.

The Nittany Lions' run defense is ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 5 in the country.

Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @realtonygarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football's Mike Hart back in Ann Arbor after medical scare