Michigan football receiver Tarik Black will be on the sideline indefinitely with a fractured right foot.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made clear during a Monday night radio show that he is not ruling Black out for the season, and he believes a return at some point in 2018 is possible.

“We all see it, he’s got a very, very bright future,” Harbaugh said. “The best is yet to come for him and I think he’ll respond as good or even better this time. A return is very much possible for this season, I wouldn’t close the door (on that) at all.”

Harbaugh said earlier Monday that Black, who suffered the injury during practice Saturday, was still being evaluated and doctors weren’t sure whether or not he’d need surgery. If he has a surgical procedure, it would stand to reason that rehab would take longer.

“It’s possible,” Harbaugh said. “Tarik’s a strong guy. I think when that (injury) happens you get that feeling of things flashing in your mind, what he went through before. Fractured his left foot (last year) and now it’s the right. So the first thoughts go back to everything it took to get you back to where you are now. That’s rehab, it’s grueling rehab. Picking up marbles with his toes. That’s grueling stuff.”

Harbaugh added positive perspectives, adding, “But he also knows he really came a long way once he came back all through winter conditioning, spring practice, training camp. He improved leaps and bounds, had himself in position to start at Notre Dame. The setback is there, but he’s been through it before. He can do it again.”