Michigan football: Trimmer, more athletic OL ready to set the tone for 2022 season
Michigan football’s offensive line walked out of last season winners of the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the best unit in the country. The same level of play is expected in 2022 with perhaps even higher upside.
The optimism revolves around a trio of starters returning in left tackle Ryan Hayes and both starting guards – Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter – from last season. Virginia transfer and Rimington Award finalist Olu Oluwatimi plugs in at center, while Trente Jones will man the right tackle spot.
Oluwatimi is the current crown jewel of the Michigan offensive line with plenty of hype thrown his way. He hit the ground running upon his arrival in Ann Arbor this winter.
“High expectations in our room,” Zinter said this week. “We had a great O-line last year, but we have a chance to be even better this year. We got Olu coming in. Physically, he’s a beast. He’s there too mentally, he’s played a lot of ball. So I’m excited at what we can do this season.
“We mesh well together, so I’m excited to see what the season brings. Trente’s doing a great job stepping in for Stueber’s spot, so I’m just really excited.”
Oluwatimi has been the complete package for Michigan in fall camp. Zinter and his peers have been the upgrade in the position. It has been very noticeable.
“No disrespect to [Andrew Vastardis], I love V, he’s a great leader,” Zinter said. “But physically, Olu is just a step up. He’s got all the attributes you want in a center, and I’m really excited to be able to play next to him this year.”
A slimmer Trevor Keegan speaks
Keegan told the media on Tuesday night that he was playing at 6-7, 343 pounds when Michigan lost to Georgia in the Orange Bowl. That was not fun for him and he wanted to make a change.
“I just didn’t feel good,” he said. “I felt kind of fat.”
A trimmed-down Keegan took the podium Tuesday at around 303 pounds, which he hopes helps with the finer points of his game this season.
“I think I’m playing the best ball I’ve ever played,” Keegan said. “I’m really light on my feet, I’m a lot better in pass protection. My feet were pretty heavy last year. I just feel like I’m playing my best ball right now.”
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What went into the transformation? Nutrition and dedication.
“I just ate salads, honestly,” Keegan said. “Salads and protein shakes for about three months. I actually like salads! Just with a lot of dressing on top.”
Setting the Michigan OL identity
Michigan’s line took it upon themselves to improve physically this offseason with each going through their own personal fitness journey. The hope is that the athleticism makes them a little more versatile in the concepts thrown their way.
The Wolverines are ready for it.
“As everybody was saying in the offseason, we’re gonna be more dynamic,” Keegan said. “Yeah, I think we’re gonna be more dynamic. We have really good days like where we just push the ball up the field. And we’ve just got to be consistent with that. So it’s up to us. It’s up to us doing our job, if we do, we’ll be pretty damn good.”
Zinter took it a step further, telling anyone with a microphone in front of them what he expects Michigan to be in 2022.
“We’re just going to be the most physical offensive line in the country this year,” he said. “We’re going to run the ball when we want to run the ball. That’s our identity and that’s not going to change.
“But we also have the ability with two great quarterbacks to pass when we want to. We have great receivers and great running backs, so we just really want to be a physical offensive line this year and really just finish guys.”
