The seven offensive linemen (and maybe more) Michigan plans to play against New Mexico

Michigan Wolverines footballhas broken fall camp, and all focus is on Saturday’s season-opener against New Mexico, but some position competitions remain. That includes on the offensive line, where the Wolverines won’t limit themselves to just five players in the game.

Junior Brady Norton — a Cal Poly transfer who was named an FCS Freshman All-American last season (redshirted in 2023) — will start at right guard, for instance. But junior Nathan Efobi, who was the leader at the position entering fall camp, will still play and has a chance to win the job at some point this season.

“It’s been super healthy to have those competitions, because it brings the best out of everybody. It’s going on through every position,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Mooresaid on the ‘Inside Michigan Football’ radio show of the competition up and down the roster.

“You start with the O-line — great competition with all five positions, and all five guys that are going to be starters have earned that opportunity.”

But Efobi and others have earned the right to see game action, too, and at the very least playing more than five linemen will help boost the depth, which will be needed at some point.

Here are Moore’s comments on all five of his starters:
• LT: Junior Evan Link — “Really changed his body a little bit, and really helped his mindset. Going back over from right to left, which is his more comfortable position, he really did a good job. He really took hold of that position in the last week and really gave us a chance to have a really good left tackle there.”

• LG: Graduate Giovanni El-Hadi —  “One of our captains. He’ll man that left guard spot, where he’s more comfortable. He played that here behind Trevor Keegan for years, and then moved to right because we had Josh Priebe last year. But he’s going to do a really good job.”

• C: Graduate Greg Crippen —  “Solidified the center spot. Tough, smart, dependable guy that’s been in the program for a long time and has seen guys do it at a high level.”

• RG: Junior Brady Norton — “Nate Efobi and him were going neck and neck, and Nate Efobi will play. He’s earned that right and that opportunity, but Brady will start there.”

• RT: Sophomore Andrew Sprague — “Taken over the right tackle spot.”

Sophomore offensive tackle Blake Frazier, meanwhile, will take the field Saturday night and play some snaps. The 6-foot-6, 295-pound son of former Michigan center Steve Frazier — a national champion with the Wolverines in 1997 — has battled injuries early in his career but is reared up and ready to go.

He’s taken snaps at both left and right tackle during preseason practices, and his emergence is even more key now that freshman Andrew Babalola has suffered a season-ending knee surgery that will require surgery.

Some others, including sophomore center/guard Jake Guarnera and graduate guard Lawrence Hattar, may also log snaps on offense Saturday night.

“Feeling good about guys like Jake Guarnera getting in the game,” Moore said. “Feel good about Lawrence Hattar.

“Blake Frazier is another guy who will play in this game — a young guy that’s shown the ability and has put on the right weight. He’s a legacy guy, his dad played here, and takes a lot of pride in wearing that jersey.

“You feel like you got a really deep group of guys that can go in and help you win a ball game.”

Michigan’s starting five on the offensive line is made up of four players who opened the 19-13 bowl game win over Alabama to cap off the 2024 campaign, so the Wolverines have experience. Moore believes those returning starters can be better, too, including Crippen.

“His body has changed,” Moore said. “He’s gotten stronger. He was already a strong guy, but he definitely put the work in to get a lot stronger. But from a technical standpoint, he’s done a really good job with his pad level, his hip flexibility, his mobility, his hands and eyes. He’s always had the mindset and the brain — he’s smart — but it was just those little things.

“He’s taken his game to a next level to be a guy that can hopefully be an All-Big Ten player.”