Karsen Barnhart shining during Michigan fall camp, leading left tackle battle: 'Just playing my ball'

Michigan Wolverines football graduate tackle Karsen Barnhart was tired of “watching from the sidelines” and seized his opportunity last season. Classmate Trente Jones went down with a high-ankle sprain at Indiana, and Barnhart replaced him and never looked back, starting the final eight games of the year.

“I just wanted to help the team win and do everything I could,” Barnhart said, reflecting. “I just felt like I played to the best of my ability, and that’s what I need to do.”

Now, Barnhart, who’s started 15 career games, is leading the Wolverines’ left tackle battle, with head coach Jim Harbaugh saying he’s been the team’s best tackle so far in camp, with Arizona State graduate transfer LaDarius Henderson in hot pursuit of the position too.

“Just playing my ball. Nothing is really too different, besides just working every day to be the best I can be to help the team win and do everything I can to be one of the first five that work out there,” Barnhart said.

Being one of the best five was something he uttered quite a bit at his Friday news conference. Barnhart has played every offensive line position besides center during his career and could also be an option at right tackle if Henderson proves to be one of the best five along with him. The competition is fierce, though, at this point.

“For LD to push me, me push him … guys like [senior] Myles [Hinton], Trente [at right tackle], everybody,” Barnhart said. “Everybody wants to be the best and everybody wants to be out there.”

Added Barnhart, of how he and Henderson are pushing one another: “The main thing is, he wants to be out there and I want to be out there at the same time. I guess, that’s a way to push each other. At the same time, if he’s doing something wrong, I’m coaching him up; if I’m doing something wrong, he’s coaching me up. We just play off of each other like that.”

Harbaugh said this week that the Wolverines will likely start one set of tackles one week and another the next, with the position battle going into the season, like the team did at quarterback a year ago.

“If that’s the way we go, that’s the way we go,” Barnhart said. “There’s nothing I can do about it. I’m willing to, if I have to watch and someone plays better than me, I’m going to be right there supporting them and helping them all the way through games, and I hope I get the same respect back.”

At right tackle last season, Barnhart had a great rapport with Michigan senior right guard Zak Zinter. If he’s on the left side, though, he’ll be more than comfortable playing alongside graduate Trevor Keegan at left guard. The two are roommates and possess a strong bond.

“It’s fun playing next to Trevor,” Barnhart said. “It’s fun playing next to Zak, too. I love playing next to both of those guys. Trevor is my roommate. His football IQ is pretty high, I’d say. It’s fun playing next to him. It’s fun being out there when you’re next to a guy that likes to have fun like you do. Zinter always loves to have fun, too. I love playing next to both guys. There’s no one I’d rather play next to, just [want to be] one of the first five out there and help the team win.”

Next to Keegan and Zinter, also, will be a new starting center. The favorite is Stanford graduate transfer Drake Nugent, who’s fit in seamlessly.

“Drake’s a great addition to the unit,” Barnhart said of his Michigan teammate. “I love having him in the room. He’s a guy that works his tail off every day. You can see it every day. He’s a quick dude. He’s quick, strong, powerful, and he’s just a great addition to the team, the unit — and I love having him a part of this program.”

Bigger Michigan defensive line includes a ‘freak’

Michigan’s defensive line has gotten much bigger since Barnhart arrived on campus in 2019, he noted. The talent level is also very high, and the battles between each line have been fun and helpful.

“A lot of guys are good. The new transfer coming in, [junior EDGE] Josaiah Stewart, is really good. He’s a speedy guy. It’s great having guys like D-Moore [sophomore Derrick Moore], [senior] Braiden [McGregor], [senior] Jaylen [Harrell]. Every day, they want to win, we want to win and it just helps us grow. It helps our pass pro get so much better and their rush get so much better.”

Asked about the interior defensive line improving its pass rush, Barnhart added, “Yeah. Kris ‘Jenks’ is a freak,” referring to Michigan senior tackle Kris Jenkins, and said sophomore nose Mason Graham is “getting really twitchy.”