Michigan OL coach weighs in on center and right tackle situations

As the Michigan Wolverines try to round into form on the offensive side of the ball, evaluations are ongoing on how to make this team the best version of itself. It starts in the trenches in a place like this, and there have been performances that have left a bit to be desired.

The center and right tackle positions – currently manned by Greg Crippen/Dom Giudice and Evan Link, respectively – have come with some rotation and up-and-down play. Link has drawn the brunt of that criticism, but the Michigan coaching staff has let him work through it in the first four games.

Offensive line coach Grant Newsome explains why lineup changes are always considered, but why for now, Link is set.

“It’s always something you look at,” Newsome said on Wednesday. “Every single week the best player is going to play. He’s gotten better, week in, week out. And it’s our job, it’s my job to continuously make sure he gets, the reps he needs and the practice he needs to make that improvement. But, that’s something you look at every single position every single week, making sure the best guys are out there and that, as a coach I put them in the best position to succeed.”

Link is Michigan’s lowest-graded player on Pro Football Focus with a 42.1 overall mark and a 7.1 grade as a pass blocker. But the staff operates under its own grades and sees improvement with its young tackle every week out.

“With any young lineman, just like when I was starting for the first time, that there’s going to be growing pains, especially in that position,” Newsome said. “I’ve been encouraged that he’s gotten better week in, week out. And obviously he’s still, not there yet and he knows that. But, we’re just going to continue to push him and make sure as a coaching staff, myself first and foremost, that we give him all the opportunities to continue to refine his technique and continue to get better.”

Link was in competition with junior Andrew Gentry and fifth-year Jeff Persi in camp, who have not gotten much of a chance to see the field despite the struggles upfront. Newsome dished a bit on that situation, too. In their eyes, Link was the best option.

“I don’t want to say it’s anything they didn’t do,” Newsome said. “Every week it’s a collaborative conversation amongst the coaching staff, Coach Moore, myself, Coach Campbell certainly, how you’re putting the best guys on the field. And if we think that there’s an opportunity where multiple guys need to play, we’re going to play multiple guys. But, no, there’s no – every job is up for grabs every single week, which is the way it always has been here. It’s the way it’s going to continue to be.

“We saw that last year with Myles and Trente and Karsen and times we were playing two and three tackles in a game just because you’re going to put the best players out there. best players being who’s had the best week of practice, who’s had the best preparation. We feel like we can go out there and give us the best chance to win.”

Michigan’s center job has been a bit of a rotating door with both Giudice and Crippen mixing in. Giudice surged in camp to take the job, but the staff has still left the opportunity to grab the job open for Crippen. They also seem content with both guys out there.

“It goes back to what I said earlier… we’re going to play the best guy that given week,” Newsome said. “And if we have two guys…we feel like it’s been pretty close. You want to give them both opportunities for somebody to go out and clearly win the job. And if it’s still close, we don’t mind playing multiple guys. Again, no different than last year when, watching the Rutgers game this time last year, four different tackles played in that game. So it’s the same mindset that if you have two guys who are both playing well enough and both are close in competition, you’re going to keep playing both.

“Game flow will always impact things. But that’s something we talk about with them. And they’re aware of that.”

The next test for Michigan comes in the form of a visit from the Minnesota Golden Gophers, set for 12 p.m. ET on FOX on Saturday afternoon.