Michigan Football: Answering 5 key questions heading into 2019

Who will start at RT?

Four of the five starters are back from a 1,000+ season for running back Karan Higdon. A line that until last year, has been underperforming. The only problem here is the final position. The good news? The problem is which one of the over-qualified big men do you pick to protect Shea Patterson.

On one hand, you have Andrew Steuber, a 6-foot-7-inch 323-pound beast from Connecticut. Steuber was ranked No. 3 from CT back in 2017 and he comes into this season as the upperclassman in this competition of two.

On the other hand, you have Jalen Mayfield who made huge strides athletically since his freshman year in 2018. Jalen was the higher-rated recruit coming out of high school but he gives up two inches and over 30 pounds to Steuber.

So who will be the starter? According to Harbaugh and his players, no one knows.

“They’ve been linked,” Harbaugh said. “They were linked going into spring ball, through spring ball as the two competing at the right-tackle position. And they are linked again, because they are both attacking the summer program.”

And left guard Ben Bredeson said, “It’s very close, and that’s not me trying to hide anything. It’s genuinely something that’s going to get solved during camp, between him and Stueber. Once that happens, then we’ll know from there. Not even anybody in the building knows right now.”

I think Ben gives the best answer to who the starter will be when he said It will be “solved during camp”. Whichever man proves himself better will get the spot, however, that competition will likely continue into the season.