Michigan Football: Wolverines ideal starting offensive line in 2021

Zak Zinter playing at center could be the best thing for Michigan football if the Wolverines want their best five starting next fall. 

Coming out of Michigan football‘s spring game on Saturday, there are tons of takeaways. But one that’s been pretty universal has been excitement regarding the offensive line.

The Blue squad, which won the game, had the better offensive line and that was a key difference in the outcome as Zak Zinter, Ryan Hayes, Trevor Keegan, and Andrew Stueber were all on one offensive line.

Zinter was actually playing center and snapping the ball to Cade McNamara and by all accounts, he played pretty well. That shouldn’t come as a big shock, because earlier this spring, Josh Gattis said via 247 sports that Zinter was Michigan’s best offensive lineman.

"“But when it starts with the offensive line, it starts with Zak Zinter. He’s the bell cow, to say the least. He’s just a pure man mover, very smart, got tremendous flexibility as far as position. Can play the center position, can play guard. He’s really been the guy who’s led our offensive line upfront from a talent standpoint.”"

Obviously, you want your five best offensive linemen to play and if Michigan football sticks to that, Andrew Vastardis can’t be the starting center.

Who are Michigan football’s best five?

I don’t mind him as the backup, but he was not effective last season at the point of attack and Michigan can’t afford to play a guy because he’s a sixth-year senior.

And if you move Zinter over to center, it opens up a spot at guard, which should and probably will go to Karsen Barnhart, another ascending player on the offensive line, who was limited by injury during the spring.

Barnhart can play tackle or guard and I’d be surprised if he wasn’t starting in some fashion by the season opener. Trente Jones has also been playing well and don’t look now, but Greg Crippen is also in the mix for a spot on the two-deep.

Crippen is the only freshman mentioned by Chris Balas of the Wolverine in his projected depth chart, which is notable. He’s another guy who can play guard or center.

I do have questions about Stueber at right tackle, but he’s played there before and prior to getting injured in 2019, he was set to be the starter. Willie Allen, the transfer from Louisiana Tech could work his way into the mix but has a long way to go.

So for my money, from left to right, the best starting offensive line for Michigan is this: Hayes, Keegan, Zinter, Barnhart, and Stueber.

We’ll see how it plays out this fall, but if the Wolverines want their best five on the field, moving Zinter to center is one way to make that happen.