The Michigan Wolverines have roared out to a 5-0 start to the 2021 football season due in large part to a tone being set up front on the offensive line. Sixth-year senior captain and starting center Andrew Vastardis has as big a role in that as anyone as one of the straws that stir the drink for this group.

Vastardis, who was referred to as a “Mack truck” by coaches last year, did not have the 2020 season he was hoping for. His campaign was derailed due to injury and the adversity he dealt with was emblematic of what the unit was dealing with as a whole.

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Vastardis stuck around for a fifth season in Ann Arbor and has been a driving force behind his team’s reversed fortunes through five games this year. It all started with a collective dissatisfaction with the 2-4 record a season ago.

“The energy was there. The want-to was there. The execution didn’t come together and that motivated us,” Vastardis told the media on Monday afternoon. “The brotherhood that came out of that, the suffering, might not have been that deep, but it was a dark spot. It pushed us more to be our best and try to lead this team back. Now we’re firing on all cylinders, but we still have a lot to grow. That’s the exciting part. We’re going to keep pushing and trying to grow.”

A page was turned from a disastrous 2020. That started at the top of the program and has trickled down all the way to the freshman class. Offensive line coach Sherrone Moore and the rest of the Michigan staff put them through the wringer this offseason to prepare for this.

“Growing from that and new guys coming and feeding off the energy from the guys that experienced that,” Vastardis said. “Coaches put us through that and we put ourselves through that because we knew we didn’t want to feel that again. All of that together and building together day-by-day, being through it, that’s where our foundation for that trust started.”

Vastardis is an elder statesman in the Michigan locker room and has seen some major peaks and valleys in his time with the program. The team finding its way back on track has been a breath of fresh air for everyone.

“It’s by far the most fun I’ve had in a long, long time,” he said. Personally and on the team, I can say that with confidence. It’s fun when you’re winning, but even at practice when you’re grinding and getting ready to go out and do that, that’s fun. It’s the best part of my day coming here. That’s top-down. That’s from the staff, down to the players. Everyone in the building is having fun right now.”

Vastardis also spoke about his responsibilities anchoring the middle of Michigan’s offensive line, which has him communicating with more than just his fellow trench mates.

“Being in the middle and the one with the hand on the ball, all the calls start with me and it radiates outwards,” he said. “Sometimes I have to talk directly with a tight end or running back and that’s what you see going on, but really just getting it started and trusting that everyone from inside-out is going to echo the call and know what they’re going to do. We have great trust in that. We have great communication. That’s something we’ve prided ourselves on is being on the same page and not letting assignments not be the issue. Just how we play and our technique.”

Redshirt freshman starting quarterback Cade McNamara has the most direct non-lineman connection with Vastardis, who praised the signal-caller’s synergy with the guys upfront.

“He’s been great. In our system, there is a lot of communication between the line and the quarterback when it comes to protections and the blocking scheme. Being able to be on the same page with them consistently — and that’s the expectation — that’s been huge for our team and our blocking. We still have room to grow and gave up a couple of hurries last week, but very confident in where we’re at but eager to continue to grow in that aspect.”

The task only gets tougher this week with another road trip, this time against Nebraska under the lights in Lincoln.

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