Michigan offensive line expecting minimal drop-off: 'Still that skill level that was there'
Michigan Wolverines football fifth-year senior left tackle Myles Hinton started four games to open last season but was replaced early in the Big Ten schedule. He’s now ready to take on a starting role as the Wolverines look to replace their top six players in the trenches. It’s a tall task to fill the shoes of those who departed — a group that includes three NFL Draft picks — but Hinton is confident in what the Maize and Blue have.
“I feel like the ones and twos last year could’ve played and started at any school in the country,” Hinton said. “I feel like there’s still that skill level that was there.
“It’s just about meshing as an O-line, as a unit. Last year’s group, they played together for a long time, so they had that mesh. This year’s group, it’s all about finding our groove as an O-line.
“It’s not really about, oh, the skill’s not there. It’s just about, OK, how can these five guys work together to mesh and be a unit?”
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Michigan has a tough schedule in the early going, drawing Fresno State and Texas the first two weeks, so getting up to speed quickly will be key. Hinton said that process is ongoing.
“A lot of it is off the field, as well,” the 6-foot-6, 342-pounder said. “If you’re boys with the whole O-line, it makes it a lot easier to communicate and come together as a unit. I feel like we’re doing well this year.
“The whole room is really close this year, not just like starting five. The whole entire room, I can chat with anybody. I can call up even the freshmen, call them up, chat them up for a while. There’s not like a disparity in upper versus lower classmen in friendship and whatnot.”
Hinton is one of four Michigan offensive linemen who’s started at least one game in college. He’s one of two with over 20 starts, with graduate left guard Josh Priebe being the other.
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Priebe is standing out as a leader, along with the rest of the group. Michigan had two captains along the offensive line last season in guards Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter.
“Honestly, the whole starting five right now,” Hinton said of who’s stepped up into leadership roles. “Well, we don’t have a starting five. We have guys kinda rotating through, trying to fight for jobs. Everybody that’s rotated in with the ones, with the twos is bringing their own fire.
“I guess standout guys would be Josh Priebe is doing well being a leader, [senior center] Raheem Anderson is going well being a leader, [senior right guard] Gio[vanni El-Hadi]. There are a lot of guys finding their voice, saying what needs to be said for the offensive line.”
Hinton was listed at 340 pounds last season but appears on the roster at 342 this season. He’s gained some strength and said he’s moving well.
“The biggest change I made this offseason was just getting stronger,” Hinton said. “I feel I’m coming into that grown man strength kind of era. I feel like most of my college career, I was just kinda trying to find my groove and get coordinated, because I feel like I kinda sprouted up there in high school really fast and wasn’t super coordinated. I feel like I’m finding my feet, my balance.
“It’s all about just the weight I feel good at playing. In the offseason, I was like mid-30s, high-20s, middle of it. But I just wanted to get big, I wanted to feel good out there. I’m still in good shape.”
