Michigan’s offensive line has spent most of this season fighting through turbulence, and senior center Jake Guarnera is the one trying to steady the group before the year runs out.
The problems have stacked up fast. There’s been chatter around the Rhino position, speculation about junior offensive tackle Andrew Sprague’s availability and the added wrinkle of offensive line coach Jim Harding’s recent promotion to offensive coordinator. The result has been a unit that never really settled in, and the play has followed suit.
Guarnera said Tuesday that the coaching change hasn’t thrown him nearly as much as it might have for younger linemen.
“For me it’s not unusual (to have) a new offensive coordinator,” Guarnera said Tuesday. “I’ve had three offensive coordinators in the past three years, so I’m kind of used to it.
I think it’s a little bit easier for me to stomach than some of the other younger guys. Just helping them understand the transition and what it’s going to be like is a big thing.”
That kind of steadiness matters even more now, because Guarnera has been asked to lead an injury-riddled front. He’s the clear voice of the group, but he’s also been setting the tone the old-fashioned way: by playing through pain and finishing games.
Against Rutgers, he was clearly dealing with a lower-leg injury and looked like he could barely walk, much less block. He stayed out there anyway.
The injuries around him have only made the job harder. Sprague went down in Week 3, junior Rhino Manuel Beigel missed a game, senior guard Brady Norton also sat out, and sophomore tackle Andrew Babalola has been limited by injury after making his collegiate debut last week against Michigan State.
That kind of shuffle would be a challenge for any line. For Michigan, it has become a necessity.
“At the beginning of the year it wasn’t too hard, with mixing around and there weren’t too many injuries. It’s getting a little difficult now,” Guarnera said with a laugh. “But you still you practice with those guys and you learn their preferences and what they’re going to do in certain situations.”
The results have shown up in the run game, where Michigan has had too many empty stretches and not enough rhythm. The Wolverines rank 109th nationally in rushing offense, and there have been games where the ground attack has looked flat from start to finish.
Guarnera pointed to two areas that need to get better: “Getting more push on double-teams and getting up to the second level with our downblocking,” Guarnera said.
The issues weren’t limited to the run game against Michigan State. Michigan’s line also had trouble handling stunts and twists, and freshman quarterback Tommy Carr was sacked five times. Those breakdowns stalled drives and showed just how much control Michigan State had over the game.
Even with the season’s frustrations piling up, Guarnera’s message hasn’t changed. He wants the group to keep grinding and finish with some pride.
“We’re never gonna quit,” Guarnera said. “I told the guys I hate losing, but I hate quitters even more.
That will not fly with me. So pressing forward, remembering what we’re playing for these last three games and that especially that last game at the end of the season was a big thing for me.”
Michigan’s offensive line hasn’t delivered the production the team wanted all year. With three games left, Guarnera is trying to make sure the group ends on a stronger note than it started.
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