Michigan Football: 5 questions that must be answered entering 2018

Can the offensive line produce in the run and pass game?

It’s no secret that to win college football games or football games at any level really, you need to win the trenches. And while the Michigan defense did that plenty last season, the offensive line didn’t hold up its end of the bargain.

For one, Wilton Speight and Brandon Peters both missed time due to injury. The loss of Speight, who wasn’t great by any means, probably cost Michigan at least 1-2 wins. He likely would have been competent enough to beat Michigan State and possibly even Wisconsin. Definitely South Carolina.

Michigan could have easily had the season Michigan State, in fact, it probably should have. But O’Korn played so bad and Harbaugh mistakenly stuck with him, so the Speight injury ended up being a bigger deal than we thought.

Michigan football ran for 177 yards per game last season, which ranked in the top 50. Yet, the run game struggled when it mattered, averaging only 87.4 yards per game in the five losses and only 2.3 yards per attempt to go along with six touchdowns.

The running backs, quarterbacks and receivers all play a role in that too, but it’s clear, the offensive line has something to prove this season, especially at right and left tackle.