Similar to the start of last season, the Michigan football team’s offensive line is once again under construction. While the Wolverines don’t need to replace their entire starting five like last time, the departure of Myles Hinton and Josh Priebe to the NFL and the transfer of Andrew Gentry have left significant holes in the unit. And with the season rapidly approaching, Michigan’s offensive linemen are continuing to duke it out to determine who gets to fill those starting slots.
One advantage that the Wolverines’ O-line has over last season is two starting returners: graduate offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi and senior offensive lineman Greg Crippen. Crippen had eight starts at center while El-Hadi started all 13 games at right guard, bringing some veteran experience to the line.
But the rest of the starting five is still to be determined, with the biggest question marks being the right guard and left tackle positions.
“It’s a true meritocracy,” Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome said Wednesday. “Until the first game, until we get out there, every job is up for grabs. That competition is healthy.”
While El-Hadi started all 13 games at right guard, he’s slotting back in at left guard for his final season with the Wolverines, leaving his former position up for grabs. According to Newsome, it’s a four-man race between offensive linemen sophomore Nathan Efobi, graduate Lawrence Hattar, freshman Jake Guarnera and junior Brady Norton for the spot.
Efobi, Guarnera and Norton have already donned the maize and blue, Hattar has yet to experience that. A transfer from Division II Ferris State, Hattar offers Michigan a chance to anchor its O-line with more experience. With three seasons of play already under his belt, including two National Championships with the Bulldogs, there’s little left on the gridiron that Hattar has yet to face.
“The thing that I love about Lawrence, and the part of the reason why we were so happy to get him as a transfer, is there’s a lot to be said for someone who’s won,” Newsome said. “Coming from a culture that Coach (Tony) Annese has there at Ferris State, where they’re tough, gritty, hard-nosed individuals, that’s what we are, that’s what we aspire to be every single day.”
That same grit and mentality will remain a key component down the line, where the Wolverines are still evaluating their options at left tackle. Three key players for this position are offensive linemen redshirt freshman Blake Frazier, junior Evan Link and freshman Andrew Babaloa.
Frazier redshirted the season due to injury, but Link appeared in all 13 games with 11 starts at right tackle. Link even made a debut at left tackle on a national stage: the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl. And after that thrilling end to his season, Link has only continued to grow.
“Left tackle, Link’s been there, played well in the bowl game, and he’s done a great job of elevating his play,” Newsome said. “We really kind of challenged him to take that next step … I’ve been really impressed with the steps he’s taken this off-season to do that. He’s having a really good camp.”
While Link’s experience and talent are working to his advantage, one of the most important qualities of a left tackle that Newsome highlighted is “confidence.” And that’s something Babaloa is displaying early on. Sure, he doesn’t have the Division I experience that Link possesses. Yet, Babaloa’s a five-star recruit who’s already turned heads with his knowledge of the field.
“He’s very athletic, quick feet, very strong,” El-Hadi said Monday. “He’s so smart, he knows what the senior knows, and that’s a really good thing for freshmen.”
Regardless of who shores up the positions in the Wolverines’ starting five o-line, there’s talent — and more importantly, options — spread across the line. From veteran experience to true freshmen, Michigan’s pockets run deep, and the competition is only continuing to grow as the Wolverines prepare to kick off the season.
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