Barnhart, U-M Ignoring The Outside Noise; 'Everyone Is Still Locked In'
The Michigan Wolverines’ football team has had to reshuffle its offensive line in the wake of injuries to redshirt sophomore left tackle Ryan Hayes and redshirt sophomore right tackle Jalen Mayfield.
Redshirt freshman Karsen Barnhart and freshman Zak Zinter have been the beneficiaries, starting the last two games at left tackle and right guard, respectively. It has been the first extensive game action for both youngsters, who were each rated as four-star prospects out of high school.
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“I’m very proud of myself for where I’m at and now having the opportunity to be a starter here,” Barnhart told reporters this afternoon. “My performance has been good, though there’s some things I need to clean up in the run game.
“The pass game looks good though. I need to have better footwork on outside zone stuff [on running plays]. Before the season started, me and Ryan Hayes were battling for a spot and we knew I’d have that opportunity to be a starter.
“The time has finally come. Ryan has still helped me a lot though even while he’s been injured. Last weekend, he’d come over to me on the sidelines and tell me everything I was doing well, and also what I needed to work on on the next series.”
The offensive line needs to block better as a whole if Michigan hopes to get its running game on track, something it has not been able to do as of late (has averaged just 30 rushing yards per game over the last two weeks).
Barnhart placed some of the blame on himself, but all five members of the offensive line deserve plenty of blame for the team’s inability to run the ball.
“We haven’t had a chance to get it going yet, due to being down [from a margin standpoint],” he explained. “We’ll get the run game going. We’ve showed it before at Minnesota [in the season opener when we ran for 256 yards] and we’ll get it going again.”
The passing attack has been significantly more effective for the Maize and Blue this season, though it stalled last Saturday against Wisconsin. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Joe Milton was benched in the third quarter in favor of redshirt freshman Cade McNamara, who proceeded to immediately lead Michigan on a 74-yard scoring drive.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh was asked on Monday who will get the start on Saturday at Rutgers, but he wasn’t ready to give an answer.
“They’re both great teammates and great guys to be around,” Barnhart exclaimed, referring to the quarterbacks. “They both want to fight and win the job. I came in with Cade and live with him now, and he’s a great guy to be around and a great teammate.
“He’s funny, but takes his business seriously. We watch film together every night when we get home. He critiques me and I critique him, though I don’t know much about the quarterback spot and their reads.”
U-M’s 1-3 start has led to an immense amount of public criticism from the Wolverine fan base, aimed at both the coaches and players. Any social media platform where Michigan is discussed has basically become a hellhole full of negativity, darkness, expletives and perceived hopelessness surrounding the entire program.
“I just don’t read anything from the media,” Barnhart confirmed. “I don’t click on apps or post anything, or really care what people are saying because they don’t know what’s going on inside these walls.
“Everybody trusts each other here — we trust the coaches and they trust us. It’s just a big family who wants to win. We’re looking at our mistakes and continuing to push forward.
“We’re keeping a positive mindset and just looking at the next week. Everyone is still locked in.”
Notes
• Barnhart was asked this afternoon which young offensive linemen who haven’t seen the field much yet are standing out in practice.
“[Redshirt freshman] Trevor Keegan is doing really well,” the left tackle said. “He just got his first six snaps last weekend and played well. He keeps working every day to get better.
“[Redshirt freshman center] Zach Carpenter is still looking to get his first game reps, but he’s ready to go. They’re both great guys to be around and guys who work every day.”
• Despite growing up in Paw Paw, Mich., Barnhart admitted this afternoon he was not raised as a Wolverine fan when he was younger.
“Growing up, it was Alabama,” he recalled. “My grandpa was born and raised there, so I always had the Crimson Tide in me. I had Alabama clothes and stuff in my closet, and I’d watch their games every Saturday with my grandpa when I was growing up.
“He showed me his passion for the game and how much he loved it, and that’s gotten me to where I am today. I chose Michigan for the brotherhood here during the recruiting process, and because of how well I got to know everyone in the class.”
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