‘Best 5’ will make up Michigan offensive line in 2024 – who are they?
Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome has a huge task in front of him to replace five starters from an elite group, but he’s off to a good start. Newsome made it clear Tuesday he would play the ‘best five’ linemen regardless of class in 2024, and a few of them seem obvious.
Three, in fact, seem to be locks — Myles Hinton, Giovanni El-Hadi, and Josh Priebe. All have played a lot of football, with Hinton and Priebe having plenty of starting experience, and should be expected on the field for the opener with Fresno State.
Veteran Greg Crippen is the current frontrunner at center, though he’ll be pushed, and the right tackle battle currently appears to be a competition between veterans Andrew Gentry and Jeff Persi.
But several young guys are playing well, too, Newsome said Tuesday. And if they earn the right to start this fall, they’ll be on the field.
“It’s no different really than when I was here, a bigger guy before that — Mason Cole started 13 games, 12 games as a true freshman, to Ben Bredeson who started a bunch of games as a true freshman, to Zak Zinter who started almost all that 2020 season as a Michigan freshman,” Newsome said.
“We’re going to play the best five whether that’s a combination of older guys, young guys, and sometimes going back into the portal like we did with Josh this offseason.”
Our guess on the starting five for the opener — Hinton at left tackle, El-Hadi at left guard, Crippen at center, Priebe at right guard, and Gentry at right tackle. That’s not set in stone, however, and how the starters perform in the opener will likely determine their status going forward. It’s an open competition, and there are others waiting in the wings.
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One, Raheem Anderson, seemed to make strides two years ago before essentially disappearing last year. Newsome mentioned him as one to watch closely.
“There have been some young guys who have stepped up. Raheem Anderson, he one,” the first year Michigan offensive line coach said. “I know he’s not necessarily a young guy, but it’s been encouraging how he’s played and has taken command this spring.
“I mentioned Evan Link earlier … Nathan Efobi and Amir Herring, those guys who are now entering middle parts of their career — I’ve been encouraged how they’ve played this spring. And then the freshmen have been really, really good, as well.”
Frosh Blake Frazier has been impressive in the early going, having added strength. He and others will push the first five, and there’s no telling where it can go. Newsome knows, though, that he needs to get as many ready as possible, and he’s excited with his group.
“You can’t go into a season and expect to play five guys and win like that,” he said. “We’re going to trot out six and seven at times, but you also have to be ready that, hey, if something goes down, who’s the next guy up?
“We feel like we need to have 10 guys who are ready to play, and it’s been encouraging.”
