Michigan’s offensive line picture is getting clearer with the opener against Western Michigan just around the corner, and one of the last real questions sits at guard.
The Wolverines have three players in the mix for two starting jobs: Evan Link, Nate Efobi and Brady Norton. At this point, the rest of the line looks much easier to sort out.
Jake Guarnera is locked in at center, Andrew Sprague is set at right tackle, and Blake Frazier appears positioned to start at left tackle. Andrew Babalola is expected to fill the “rhino” role as the sixth lineman.
That leaves guard as the final battleground.
Link has the kind of experience that usually matters in these decisions. He has already started at both right and left tackle, and now he’s working inside at guard for the first time in his Michigan career. He says the switch has brought a different kind of energy.
"I'd say, as of now, I'm probably enjoying guard a little bit more just because it's a new experience, and it's plenty to learn, and I think, like I said, I've never done before, right? And so, yeah, it's been really a lot of fun," Link recently said.
Given that he’s heading into Year 4 and has already proven he can hold up in multiple spots, Link looks like the favorite to land the left guard job.
The more unsettled side is right guard, where Efobi and Norton are still pushing each other. Norton, a former FCS All-American, has reportedly turned heads in fall camp and is more firmly in the mix than some might expect. Efobi, though, has been around, has played a lot of football for Michigan, and has gotten help from Jim Harding and the new strength staff.
Right now, Efobi appears to have the edge to start Week 1 against Western Michigan, though Norton still looks like a real option to see the field.
Michigan’s goal is to get to a point where it can trust 10 linemen, but when the season opens, the plan is to start with the best five. Fans should get the first real look at how that shakes out on Sept. 5 against the Broncos.
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