Michigan Football: Evaluating The Offensive and Defensive Lines

Here we are at the halfway point in the regular season, and it’s time to take a look at Michigan football’s offensive and defensive lines.

How are things going for Michigan football through the first six games of the 2016 season?

Let’s take a look first at the defensive line, which right now may be the best in the country.

Former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke did not leave the cupboard bare when he left after the 2014 season, so this group was outstanding last year and promised to be among the elite defensive lines in the country this year. So far, they have more than lived up to their promise.

Through six games they have allowed only two rushing touchdowns and less than 100 total rushing yards per game. They give up an average of 2.9 yards per carry, and last week against Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights gained a grand total of 34 yards on the ground.

Read that last stat again to get a sense of how effective the defensive line has become at shutting down the run.

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Taco Charlton, Chris Wormley, and Ryan Glasgow were expected to dominate, and they have, although Charlton missed the first three games of the season and Glasgow has looked at times as though he is still bothered by his shoulder injury. What was unexpected was the immediate impact of Rashan Gary and “Big Mike” Onwenu.

Gary, a true freshman and the No. 1-ranked high school player in the country last year, found himself on the field early and often in the first game with Charlton not playing, and Gary made his presence felt right away. So far he has five tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries and one sack. That’s not bad for someone a few months out of high school.

And then there is Onwenu, another freshman, who weighs more than 350 pounds and has drawn attention for contributing on both the offensive and defensive lines. Head coach Jim Harbaugh estimated that Onwenu played “45 or 46 plays” in the game against Rutgers, and no one knows at this point how good he can be or where—offense or defense—he might wind up when he makes the move to the NFL.

So, heading into the last half of the season—with big games against Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan State—Michigan seems set on the defensive side of the ball. What about the other side?

The truth is, the offensive line was still making adjustments as late as August, and no one knew how good the line would be. Mason Cole moved to center to start the season, until Grant Newsome went down with a serious knee injury, and now more adjustments may be made. This is a group that is still very much in flux.

The good news is that Harbaugh and offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Tim Drevno are known for a free-wheeling style of substitutions. Offensive linemen, tight ends and running backs are coming in and out all the time.

Michigan’s offensive line seemed shaky in both the Central Florida and Colorado games, but—to give them the credit they deserve—they have improved noticeably. The Michigan offense cannot be taken lightly, as Central Florida discovered when they took away the run and dared Michigan to throw the ball downfield. The offensive line can now take credit for an average of 5.7 yards gained per carry, though the game with Rutgers last week helped that number considerably.

Of more concern is that they have given up nine sacks over six games, with 66 lost yards. Quarterback Wilton Speight is as tough as they come, but it’s never good when your quarterback is getting hit hard and often.

Next: Top 10 running backs in Michigan history

Mid-term grades: an A+ for the defensive line and B+ for the offensive line.

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