OL coach Grant Newsome challenges Michigan offensive guards
Michigan coaches talked up the offensive line this year, expecting big things from the group even after losing four starters. They hadn’t lived up to the standard through eight weeks, though a few made big strides in a 24-17 win over MSU.
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Veteran Giovanni El-Hadi was one of them. El-Hadi was expected to be a great replacement for Zak Zinter at right guard, to the point that offensive line coach Grant Newsome said this fall his player would be in the NFL right now if he didn’t have to wait his turn.
El-Hadi got off to a rough start, though, both in assignments and physicality. Nobody ever expected the latter to be an issue with him, and Newsome let him know that before the Michigan State game.
The result:
“I think Gio played his best game since he’s been here,” Newsome praised Wednesday. “We challenged him big time last week that he needed to play physically to the level he’s capable of, and I thought he did that. There’s a play where he takes No. 36 … he takes the dude out of bounds and over to our bench. He’s been capable of that. He’s got to continue to put that on tape.”
He can and he’ll need to if Michigan is going to reach its goals.
Michigan left guard Josh Priebe, meanwhile, had it tougher against the Spartans. He was expected to dominate his last year after earning All-Big Ten honors at Northwestern, but it’s been hit or miss for the transfer. Saturday was a struggle for him.
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“I thought he didn’t play especially well, and I know he was disappointed about that,” Newsome continued. “He’s a mature dude. He’s aware. He knew … ‘hey, I’ve got to be better in a couple areas.’ He’s attacked those, and he’s another guy who’s in the building constantly … he’s a pro in that sense, and sometimes that’s going to happen.”
It’s tough, though, when it happens against a rival and you feel you haven’t held up your part of the bargain. Newsome is confident, though, that Priebe will answer the bell the way El-Hadi did when challenged.
“It’s good as a coach when you know your players are the first ones to correct themselves, and they’re hardest on themselves,” Newsome said. “It’s a great role model for the room that you have a guy who’s an established starter in this conference and know even he can have a bad game sometimes. But he knows it and he’s aware of it, and he’s going to take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Because Michigan State, as improved as the Spartans are, is hardly the standard. Tougher tests are ahead, and U-M’s ability to win these games will depend largely on how much the offensive line improves, starting Saturday vs. Oregon.
