Michigan’s offensive line depth is taking another hit, and the latest update doesn’t leave much room for optimism heading into Penn State.
The Wolverines have already been dealing with a season full of shuffling up front. Andrew Babalola was the first lineman to get hurt, then Evan Link went down, and starting right tackle Andrew Sprague suffered an undisclosed injury before the UTEP game and has not returned since. With bodies disappearing one by one, Michigan has been forced to keep rearranging the line on the fly.
Link was moved over to left tackle, while Blake Frazier slid in at right tackle. Michigan hoped the bye week would buy enough time to get healthier for the final stretch, but the latest word on Sprague is not encouraging. His return appears to be a long way off.
“Andrew [Sprague], I'm not sure. It's way out there if he comes back. It's way out there,” Whittingham said of Sprague's timeline.
There is at least some better news on Babalola. The former five-star is set to practice again after being sidelined for about a month, and Michigan is hoping he can build back up quickly enough to help as soon as Saturday.
“Andrew Babalola, fortunately, will be able to start practice this week, which will be the first time in, what, a month. It's been a big disappointment for us because we were really counting on him.
He was cleared to play way back when we told you that he had a setback and then another setback. So hopefully, knock on wood, if we can keep him on the field, then he'll definitely have a chance to help us.
"To answer your question: He'll start practicing today. We'll gradually ramp him up throughout the week and see if he's ready to contribute this Saturday.
He'll really help us if he can because we're really thin there and got some other guys dinged up in the Minnesota game that will be questionable. That will come out on Wednesday in the injury report.”
That list could include starting guard Nate Efobi, who has also been banged up. Michigan may need Babalola sooner rather than later, even though he has not yet played in a college game. The talent is there, and if the staff believes he can help them win, he will be on the field.
Sprague’s absence, though, is the bigger blow. Whittingham didn’t get into specifics, but he made it clear the team is feeling it.
“I am perplexed, and so is he, I think," said Whittingham. "Because there's a lot that goes into it, several opinions, differing opinions. And I guess now the opinions have maybe dovetailed a little bit and kind of settled in a place where everyone's in agreement.
"It doesn't change the fact that he's not available or won't be available for several weeks. But at least we feel now that maybe they've got a handle on it - not a handle on it, but they've got some agreement on it.
We sure miss him. He's a good player.
He's a really good football player.”
Michigan’s first availability report for the Penn State game is due Wednesday, and that should give a clearer picture of how many more linemen the Wolverines may have to manage without.
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Michigans offense has spent much of the season looking like a unit still searching for its footing, and the latest stumble against Minnesota only sharpened the questions around Bryce Underwood. Under pressure, the quarterback had trouble finding rhythm on the road, reinforcing the pattern that he has been more comfortable at home than away from Ann Arbor. With Penn State next on the schedule, the Wolverines are carrying more than just ordinary game-week adjustments into the matchup.
The coaching staffs role in all of this is hard to ignore, because the offensive plan has not done enough to make life easier for Underwood when the temperature rises. A bounce-back showing is still very much in play against Penn State, especially if Michigan can clean up the design and execution around its young quarterback, but the larger concern is whether the offense can show real progress rather than another brief uptick before the next hard landing. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Suddenly Faces A Defining Home Test Fans Cant Ignore
A bye week gave Michigan a chance to reset, but the next stretch hardly looks forgiving. The Wolverines return to action against Penn State after back-to-back losses, with Bryce Underwood still set to remain the starting quarterback as the offense tries to steady itself and get the season back on track.
The schedule only gets more demanding after that, with the Big Ten announcing Michigan will host unbeaten Indiana on Oct. 24 at noon ET on FOX. The Hoosiers are ranked No. 5 after beating Nebraska and now have Ohio State ahead of them, which means the meeting in Ann Arbor could carry a lot of weight by the time it arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Is Locking In One Offensive Bet Ahead Of Penn State
As Michigan comes out of the bye week and turns its focus to Penn State, the offense is sticking with the structure it has leaned on in recent weeks. Head coach Kyle Whittingham said Bryce Underwood will remain the starting quarterback, with Jason Beck continuing as the offensive coordinator and playcaller, a sign the Wolverines are choosing continuity as the games get bigger and the margin for error gets smaller.
Whittingham also said true freshman Tommy Carr got work during the bye, but Underwood is still viewed as the quarterback who gives Michigan the best chance to win right now. The Wolverines are also planning to keep using the heavy personnel rhino package for the rest of the season, which should tell Penn State plenty about the identity Michigan wants to bring into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]