Michigan HC Sherrone Moore updates offensive line position battles, says one starter 'cemented'

ANN ARBOR – Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore and his program are into the third week of fall camp, which could be when some of the position battles on both sides of the ball come into focus.

The offensive line features much of the intrigue, at least on that side of the ball. Moore told the media that he has started to see some separation on the roster throughout the first two weeks of camp, but that clarity is coming sooner rather than later.

 ”I think you are [starting to see some separation],” Moore said Tuesday morning in Ann Arbor. “We’re starting to see that, but I think really, we kind of planned out this fall camp to where we’ve got four days here. Our players are off today from physical activity while meeting. But then we’ll have a four-day stretch here where we’ll get after it really well.

“This is kind of where we climb and figure to put the most impact with more physicality in these past four days and in these next four days. So I think after the scrimmage on Saturday, we’ll really see where we’re at from a depth chart standpoint. But it’s a flowing organism that we talk about every day that just moves and shakes.

“So there are guys that are making climbs. Some guys are cementing themselves and [doing things] that put them in a position to be in position. There are guys who are still taking the steps that they need to get there. We’re in a really good place.”

Michigan’s biggest battle on offense might be at left tackle, where junior Evan Link and five-star freshman Andrew Babalola continue to push each other. Sophomore Blake Frazier is in the mix at both tackle spots.

“ [Babalola], we’ve talked about him,” Moore said. “He’s gonna push for the starting left tackle spot, and that’s a day-to-day competition with Evan. Evan has played tremendously better and his confidence is where you need it to be. Those two are pushing and Blake Frazier’s in that mix, but we’re moving him around too. It’s gonna be cool to see how that group rolls… we’ve got guys moving all around. I love that when that happens.”

The Wolverines have four contenders for the right guard spot, seen as the next-most wide-open battle on the offensive line. Junior Nathan Efobi, grad transfer Lawrence Hattar, sophomore Jake Guarnera and junior Brady Norton are in the mix there.

“It’s a group of four guys that can move all around inside,” Moore said.

Fifth-year player Greg Crippen is expected to start at center, but is still being pushed. One starter appears to be fully locked in at left guard in Giovanni El-Hadi. Another could be close to being locked in at right tackle in sophomore Andrew Sprague, but he’s getting a push, too.

“I think Crip has really, really done a good job at center,” Moore said. “We keep pushing him with Jake [Guarnera]. Gio’s kind of cemented himself as the starting left guard. He’s a guy who’s played a lot of football. We were watching clips of 2022 vs. Illinois, and he was in there because Trevor Keegan had a stinger or shoulder problem.

“So he is the guy who’s played. And then Andrew Sprague has played really, really well at right tackle. We still have Blake [Frazier] pushing him, but he’s really pushing, too. We have a couple of spots we think we got cemented, but we’re gonna let those other guys fight it out.

“We’re gonna need them all, though.”