Michigan football countdown to kickoff: 52 days until 2022 season
There’s much anticipation heading into the Michigan Wolverines football season, and TheWolverine.com is counting down the days until the Sept. 3 opener against Colorado State. We’ll discuss current Michigan events, upcoming season and/or take a look at a significant number that correlates with how many days remain until kickoff, whether it be a player’s jersey number, a year, a date, a score, etc.
Michigan’s quarterback battle is the sexiest competition of the offseason, but there are other starting jobs up for grabs, including at right tackle.
Senior Trente Jones and classmate Karsen Barnhart, No. 52, will duke it out for the bulk of the snaps at the position. The Wolverines are replacing Andrew Stueber, who was one of the top players in the Big Ten at his position, and ranked 22nd among the nation’s tackles in pass protection per Pro Football Focus (PFF).
“Big year,” Barnhart told MLive in May. “I’m competing with Trente Jones for the right-tackle spot. Just working my tail off to try to get that thing.”
There’s been a lot made about Jones’ athleticism, and we saw it at times last year when he served as an extra lineman in jumbo packages. In a small sample size, he ranked second among Michigan offensive linemen with both a 74.2 run-blocking rating and a 75.7 pass-blocking grade.
Jones had the edge coming out of spring and heading into fall camp. But Barnhart was reportedly limited in the spring, and if he’s back fully healthy during preseason practices (as expected), all bets are off in terms of who wins the job.
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Barnhart has the edge in experience, having started four games at left tackle in 2020 (when Ryan Hayes was injured), before opening two contests at guard this past season.
One thing is almost certain, Michigan has a top six, not necessarily a top five. And both guys bring a lot to the table outside of being just potential starters. Barnhart is versatile and has proven he can be plugged in when a starter is hurt, which happens throughout a season on the offensive line. At the same time, Jones has been impressive and effective as an extra lineman, so there’s a role for him, too.
“I’ve shown that I can play both tackle and guard, and I’ve played all positions besides center in a game,” Barnhart said. “I’ve played everything.”
Michigan football countdown to kickoff
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