Jim Harbaugh: Michigan O-line could be better than last year

Michigan finished spring ball on a high note, relatively healthy and with plenty of guys having improved. The offensive line has a chance to be even better than last year, head coach Jim Harbaugh said today, led by a couple new faces. 

The first — Virginia grad transfer Olu Oluwatimi. The standout was a Rimington Award finalist last year as one of the top three centers in the country and he picked up where he left off at Michigan.

“Really good,” Harbaugh said of the Oluwatimi. “There was never any, ‘I was a Rimington finalist; I’m the man. Look at me.’ He was just always about his business, a very mature guy. He fit in great with the group. One of the guys. 

“He proved himself. He already carried a lot of weight, and he’s somebody when he talks now [you listen]. And the more he talks the better, because he’s a very squared away guy, a very good leader and a very talented player. He and [redshirt frosh] Greg Crippen have been very good at center.”

Out of spring, the current Michigan starters are redshirt juniors Ryan Hayes (left tackle) and Trevor Keegan (left guard), sophomore Zak Zinter at right guard and Oluwatimi at center. 

“The guy who’s emerged the most is Trente Jones at right tackle, along with Karsen Barnhart,” Harbaugh said. “That’s your top six right now. 

“Trente’s always been one of the best athletes in the room. Really [improved his] strength, improved his knowledge of the offense. His toughness. Being able to be in there every day as a starter. In the past you had Andrew Stueber there, Jalen Mayfield before that. But he’s a very gifted guy athletically. His strength has progressed. I’ve always liked watching him. Whenever I put on 53, his number, I like watching him. That’s continued. He’s much stronger and more savvy now.”

Behind them, several have continued to improve and emerge on the Michigan depth chart. 

“Really good,” Harbaugh continued. “It is a veteran group, a group that was good last year and has a chance to be even better this year. That’s certainly the goal. But also, some really good young players are developing. [Guards] Raheem Anderson, Reece Atteberry. Gio El-Hadi has shown some very good things. Jeff Persi [at tackle], too, another guy in that ‘breaking through the ceiling’ kind of a guy. 

“We have two really good incoming freshmen in Alessandro Lorenzetti,and super excited about Andrew Gentry. Talk about a physical presence. The veteran groups continue to progress, and so are the young guys.”

Gentry, a former Virginia pledge, was on a two-year mission but is ready to get back in the football saddle at Michigan.

“You can see what he’s going to be. He’s all of 6-8, 310,” Harbaugh said. “He probalby hasn’t been on a scale for a while, but probably at least 310 hasn’t been working out on a Daily basis. He’s there in terms of physical growth and everything. Getting back into football and knocking some of that rust off will be, I think, the big thing. 

“He’s definitely matured as a person. The mission the guys go on, that’s always something that has always really impressed me. When they come back from a mission, they are serving. They are working. There’s a humility, a maturity that’s undeniable. Andrew Gentry, though, when he was coming out of high school, he was a pretty darn mature guy, too. A 4.3 GPA type of guy. [He’ll be] one of the smartest to ever come through here.”

Overall, he said, the line is indicative of a Michigan team that’s made great progress. 

“There’s always room for improvement … but the default answer is, ‘pretty good,’” he said. “I actually think it’s better than that. We’ve got a ton of momentum at this point, and we want to continue building on that as we hit these next four weeks of strength and conditioning. Continue football being on the mind 

“I think we’re in a good place.”