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Comparing Michigan football’s 2023 offensive line to 2021 and 2022

By Nick Popio

Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards (7) runs the ball as offensive lineman Zak Zinter (65) blocks TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Dee Winters (13) during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards (7) runs the ball as offensive lineman Zak Zinter (65) blocks TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Dee Winters (13) during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan football
The Michigan Wolverines offensive line, including Zak Zinter (65), Olusegun Oluwatimi (55), Giovanni El-Hadi (58) and Ryan Hayes (76), and tight ends Matthew Hibner (88) and Joel Honigford, get set against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022. /

The 2022 offensive line

The 2021 edition caught the eye of Virginia All-American Olu Oluwatimi in 2022. He transferred in and immediately became Michigan’s most outstanding lineman. He went on to win the Rimington award and now is in line to maybe start for the Seattle Seahawks as a rookie. He encapsulates the story of how far Michigan football and this group has come since the 2020 disaster.

Pasting Penn State’s defense like a drum to the tune of over 400 yards on the ground was the tip of the iceberg. When Blake Corum got injured, Donovan Edwards broke Ohio State’s defense into submission and the repeat was inevitable. The 75 and 85-yard runs by Edwards should be on repeat in the strength and conditioning rooms at Michigan 24/7/365 to motivate them to get even better for future generations.

The emergence of the backups loomed large last season too. Greg Crippen, Giovanni El-Hadi, Reece Atteberry, Jeffrey Persi, and Trente Jones, with El-Hadi and Jones seeing the most meaningful amount of snaps. Altogether they gave up only single-digit sacks when J.J. McCarthy was at the helm of the Michigan football offense. Their last play in the loss to TCU was the opposite of symbolic, however.

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