UMGOBLUE.COM Michigan Wolverine Football & Basketball
By Fans…For Fans Since 1999
As Hoke enters his fourth season in Ann Arbor, he’s under pressure to beat rivals Michigan State and Ohio State—which battled for the Big Ten championship last season—while Michigan lurked in the Legends division cellar.
Preparation for winning the Big Ten starts with spring practice, and these are the players to watch.
To say that the Michigan offensive line struggled last season would be a massive understatement.
However, the position group, which faced constant shuffling because of poor play and injuries, did have one bright spot: offensive tackle Taylor Lewan.
Brady Hoke now needs to replace Lewan while hoping that the interior of the offensive line drastically improves from last season. After last season’s poor play, every position is up for grabs, but the following players are the top candidates to replace Lewan.
Nussmeier inherits an offensive line characterized by poor play and injuries that loses its two best players to graduation. He also needs to contend with the injury of quarterback Devin Gardner, who injured his foot versus Ohio State, missing the bowl game, and who is expected to still be “limited” during spring practice.
A crucial element of his offensive play-calling while at Alabama was the use of the inside and outside zone-running plays. If he can solidify the offensive line, Michigan has two capable running backs who could thrive in a system similar to what Nussmeier ran in Alabama.
In two weeks, spring practice begins for Michigan football. Taking the field for the first time will be seven early enrolleesalong with new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. Fans eagerly await the changes that Nussmeier will bring to an offense that lacked consistent direction under previous offensive coordinator Al Borges.
But with Brady Hoke announcing that quarterback Devin Gardner “will be limited in spring practice,” questions abound about his status on the depth chart. Hoke acknowledged the uncertainty: “We’ve got a lot of competition. Now does Devin have the most experience? Yes, there’s no question.”
Nussmeier will need somebody—anybody—to carry the load on the ground next season, and Derrick Green is the leading candidate for the job if he can stay healthy and come into the season in top shape needed to be Michigan’s top option on the ground.