Michigan's offensive line COULD be in the best shape it has been in since 2011, despite the unexpected loss of 2014 starting center Jack Miller. A lot depends, though, on how his replacement holds up in a discipline perhaps more demanding than anything Michigan's coaches and trainers are throwing at him.
Fifth-year senior Graham Glasgow was back in place at the spring game, spearheading one of the two offenses at center. If he's there come Sept. 3 at Utah, the Wolverines should be in very solid shape for the season to come. But as Jim Harbaugh himself very candidly noted after the spring game, that's not a given. It appears Glasgow has a green light IF he can do what he's supposed to do over the next weeks and months - stay away from alcohol completely.
If not, the shuffle will likely be on again, and it's out of Harbaugh's hands.
"The legal system has got as much hanging over his head as anybody
could possibly put on him," Harbaugh said. "There's nothing more that I or the
football program or the University could have on Graham right now than what
they have.
"You're talking about somebody who is taking a breathalyzer in the
morning, one at night, and he's got to be clean, 100 percent clean, not a drop
of alcohol. He will do it or he won't. I believe in him. I believe he will.
"But we will all know. There will be no secrets on that. Whether he
does or whether he doesn't will all be for public consumption."
Glasgow is under the legal spotlight for a probation violation involving alcohol, and now the authorities are leaving nothing to chance. That makes the choice abundantly clear, and it's up to Glasgow. Harbaugh's staff already began making provisions for his unavailability when he was suspended in the first part of the spring. They moved sophomore Mason Cole to center, and he acquitted himself fairly well there, but it represents a disruption of two positions that nobody really wants to see in the coming season.
Cole, like several across Michigan's offensive line, should be in position to take a major step forward at the spot he played a year ago. He's now been on the field, played in the big games, and is receiving a very high level of quality input from new position coach Tim Drevno, who has produced quality offensive lines everywhere he's been, from the University of San Diego right up to the San Franscisco 49ers.
The line WILL get better, period. Drevno develops players like John Beilein develops players. Saying that for basketball didn't mean much to the Beilein uninitiated several years ago, but there's no escaping the impact now. And those up front for Michigan football will demonstrate that input, although it could take a full year for some, according to Chris Marinelli, an All-Pac-10 offensive lineman for Drevno at Stanford.
Marinelli referred to true freshmen, getting ready to play as redshirt freshmen. This should be different, because the potential starting lineup has all been on the field, and fairly extensively at that. There's still the incorporation of different techniques into game situations, though.
Here's the way the lineup COULD look at Utah: Cole, LT; senior Ben Braden, LG; Glasgow, C; senior Kyle Kalis, RG; senior Erik Magnuson, RT. That's a promising look, provided Drevno can get them to do what they need to do by the time the Big Ten season hits. And of course, provided they're all in place.
Braden (6-6, 331) gives Michigan some serious bulk inside, and could stick at guard, after playing right tackle last year. He could always move back out, but Magnuson has always felt more comfortable at tackle. Both were looking strong enough in the spring to allow for the switch, but there's enough versatility that it doesn't have to be permanent.
Kalis, by all reports, is finally beginning to come into his own, mature as an offensive lineman, and become a force inside. He, Glasgow and Braden can certainly pass protect, and are expected to be able to move people out in the run game. That's always a slower process, Harbaugh pointed out after the spring game, while mentioning that it was tough for onlookers to get a real picture of a first-team offensive line when it was split 3/2 for the final scrimmage.
Drevno will be looking for perhaps eight offensive linemen that can be ready to go. Junior tackle Logan Tuley-Tillman (6-7, 309) should be one of them, following a strong spring showing. Uncertainty at center definitely brings performers like junior Pat Kugler and senior Blake Bars into play. For all the talk junior David Dawson has received, he appeared to struggle in the spring game, and is still working for breakthrough consistency.
It all starts at the trigger position, though. As Harbaugh noted, there won't be any secrets there. But there has to be preparation either way, and things could change in a hurry.
Fifth-year senior Graham Glasgow was back in place at the spring game, spearheading one of the two offenses at center. If he's there come Sept. 3 at Utah, the Wolverines should be in very solid shape for the season to come. But as Jim Harbaugh himself very candidly noted after the spring game, that's not a given. It appears Glasgow has a green light IF he can do what he's supposed to do over the next weeks and months - stay away from alcohol completely.
If not, the shuffle will likely be on again, and it's out of Harbaugh's hands.
"The legal system has got as much hanging over his head as anybody
could possibly put on him," Harbaugh said. "There's nothing more that I or the
football program or the University could have on Graham right now than what
they have.
"You're talking about somebody who is taking a breathalyzer in the
morning, one at night, and he's got to be clean, 100 percent clean, not a drop
of alcohol. He will do it or he won't. I believe in him. I believe he will.
"But we will all know. There will be no secrets on that. Whether he
does or whether he doesn't will all be for public consumption."
Glasgow is under the legal spotlight for a probation violation involving alcohol, and now the authorities are leaving nothing to chance. That makes the choice abundantly clear, and it's up to Glasgow. Harbaugh's staff already began making provisions for his unavailability when he was suspended in the first part of the spring. They moved sophomore Mason Cole to center, and he acquitted himself fairly well there, but it represents a disruption of two positions that nobody really wants to see in the coming season.
Cole, like several across Michigan's offensive line, should be in position to take a major step forward at the spot he played a year ago. He's now been on the field, played in the big games, and is receiving a very high level of quality input from new position coach Tim Drevno, who has produced quality offensive lines everywhere he's been, from the University of San Diego right up to the San Franscisco 49ers.
The line WILL get better, period. Drevno develops players like John Beilein develops players. Saying that for basketball didn't mean much to the Beilein uninitiated several years ago, but there's no escaping the impact now. And those up front for Michigan football will demonstrate that input, although it could take a full year for some, according to Chris Marinelli, an All-Pac-10 offensive lineman for Drevno at Stanford.
Marinelli referred to true freshmen, getting ready to play as redshirt freshmen. This should be different, because the potential starting lineup has all been on the field, and fairly extensively at that. There's still the incorporation of different techniques into game situations, though.
Here's the way the lineup COULD look at Utah: Cole, LT; senior Ben Braden, LG; Glasgow, C; senior Kyle Kalis, RG; senior Erik Magnuson, RT. That's a promising look, provided Drevno can get them to do what they need to do by the time the Big Ten season hits. And of course, provided they're all in place.
Braden (6-6, 331) gives Michigan some serious bulk inside, and could stick at guard, after playing right tackle last year. He could always move back out, but Magnuson has always felt more comfortable at tackle. Both were looking strong enough in the spring to allow for the switch, but there's enough versatility that it doesn't have to be permanent.
Kalis, by all reports, is finally beginning to come into his own, mature as an offensive lineman, and become a force inside. He, Glasgow and Braden can certainly pass protect, and are expected to be able to move people out in the run game. That's always a slower process, Harbaugh pointed out after the spring game, while mentioning that it was tough for onlookers to get a real picture of a first-team offensive line when it was split 3/2 for the final scrimmage.
Drevno will be looking for perhaps eight offensive linemen that can be ready to go. Junior tackle Logan Tuley-Tillman (6-7, 309) should be one of them, following a strong spring showing. Uncertainty at center definitely brings performers like junior Pat Kugler and senior Blake Bars into play. For all the talk junior David Dawson has received, he appeared to struggle in the spring game, and is still working for breakthrough consistency.
It all starts at the trigger position, though. As Harbaugh noted, there won't be any secrets there. But there has to be preparation either way, and things could change in a hurry.
