Michigan football: Is Blake Frazier the left tackle of the future?

No. 77 is a sacred number among Michigan offensive linemen, some of the best of the best in football having worn it over the years. Art Walker, Jon Jansen, Jake Long … there’s an expectation that comes with it, somewhat like wearing the No. 2 on defense (which Charles Woodson lets every player who wears it know). 

RELATED: Michigan football: Final thoughts on a win at MSU following film review

Redshirt freshman Blake Frazier knows it, and he seems to be embracing it. It’s not just about doing your job, making the block, etc. … it’s about an attitude that, as our Doug Skene (former Michigan All-Big Ten guard) says, “makes the guy across from you want to quit).” 

Frazier wasn’t perfect Saturday night in East Lansing in his first start, but he looked the part of a guy who deserves to wear the jersey … and who is only going to get better. 

“I’m really proud of him and how he’s coming [along], stepped up,” Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome, who also wore the No. 77 jersey before an injury ended his career, said. “With all three of those guys [right guard Jake Guarnera, right tackle Andrew Sprague], you forget they are redshirt freshman sometimes, which is a good thing.

 “Sometimes as coach, you have to remind yourself, ‘shoot … he hasn’t seen that before. He hasn’t played four years of football where he’s seen that look before, or knows how to adjust to that on the fly.’ But I’m proud of him and how he went in. He wasn’t perfect, obviously, but he’s out there, he’s fighting, and he’s getting better every week.”

After all, he’s been banged up for the most part since he arrived on campus, dealing with various injuries. Newsome confirmed what he said back in September — that Frazier wasn’t even full go in practice until after the season started, putting him on the outside looking in. Newsome even let slip that the “top two” at left tackle were starter Evan Link and Michigan frosh Andrew Babalola, meaning the Wolverines are at option No. 3 on the depth chart.

We don’t know what Babalola might have been given he was hurt before game one, a knee injury that will sideline him for the season. Frazier, though, appears to be at least as good as Link there, has more upside (again, Link seems to be better suited for guard), and plays with a nasty streak Link didn’t. 

“A guy like Blake who’s incredibly athletic, has excellent feet … he’s naturally a bit more adept in pass protection than maybe like Link was early in his career,” Newsome said. “Whereas Evan is a little bit bigger-bodied guy, has a thicker lower half, and [run blocking] came a little bit easier to him early in his career.

“… It’s definitely an adjustment [for any young guy], and obviously you’re playing in a premier conference with talented edge rushers. But to brag on our defense, the, the great thing for us is those guys have gotten reps last year, this year against edges who are as talented or more talented than anyone will see this year. That doesn’t mean they’ll be perfect, but when you get those reps in practice against the edges, you know, combo against really talented and strong defensive tackles, I think it prepares you for the game.”

It helps, too, when your dad played with one of the guys who wore the number [center Steve Frazier on the line with Jansen in the 1990s). You can sense in the way Frazier plays he wants to live up to its legacy, and he’s off to a good start. Even when everyone comes back healthy, it might be hard to get him out of the Michigan lineup.

“I know Blake, and it means a lot to Blake,” Newsome said. “He understands the tradition and the history behind that number [at Michigan]. Certainly not myself, but you go back and all the various guys who have worn that and have been immensely successful both here and in the NFL. It means a lot to him, just like playing offense line does, period.”