Instability at right tackle for Michigan once again

In 2022, Trente Jones began the year as the starter and struggled early. He was getting better each week before an injury led to Karsen Barnhart ultimately taking the job over. Last season, Myles Hinton started the year at right tackle before an injury saw him lose the job to Barnhart. When Zak Zinter was lost for the season, Barnhart moved to guard, and Jones stepped in at right tackle and finished the year strong.

Heading into this season, the expectation was a position battle between veterans Andrew Gentry and Jeffrey Persi. Fall camp intel consistently mentioned the rise of redshirt freshman Evan Link, who went from challenging Gentry and Persi to winning the job at camp's end.

Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome met with media Wednesday and discussed what went into the decision to start Link over Gentry and Persi.

"I don't want to say it's anything they didn't do," Newsome said. "You know, every week it's a collaborative conversation amongst the coaching staff, Coach Moore, myself, Coach Campbell certainly, how you're putting the best guys on the field. And if we think that there's an opportunity where multiple guys need to play, we're going to play multiple guys. We saw that last year with Myles and Trente and Karsen and times we were playing two and three tackles in a game just because you're going to put the best players out there. You know, best players being who's had the best week of practice, who's had the best preparation. We feel like we can go out there and give us the best chance to win."

It's an interesting response given Link's struggles to start the year and the lack of rotation we have seen, unlike the center position with Greg Crippen and Dom Giudice.

Link has allowed a team high 15 pressures this season, including ten against Texas. His 7.1 pass blocking grade on Pro Football Focus is third worst in all of college football. Link has improved as the season as gone on, and made crucial blocks in the run game. When thinking about those early struggles for a first time starter, Newsome thinks about himself.

"Yeah, I think obviously there's just like with any young lineman, just like when I was, you know, starting for the first time, that there's going to be growing pains, especially in that position. And, you know, I've been encouraged that he's gotten better week in, week out. And obviously he's still, you know, not there yet and he knows that. But, you know, we're just going to continue to push him, continue to, you know, make sure as a coaching staff, myself first and foremost, that we give him all the opportunities to, you know, continue to refine his technique and continue to get better."

Whether Michigan will continue to ride the growing pains with Link at right tackle or potentially give Gentry or Persi snaps will be evaluated every week, and whoever the staff feels is the best player, will play.

"Yeah, I mean, I think it's always something you look at, you know, every single week the best player is going to play. And, you know, he's gotten better, you know, week in, week out. And it's our job, it's my job to continuously make sure he gets, you know, the reps he needs and the practice he needs to make that improvement. But, I mean, that's something you look at every single position every single week, you know, making sure the best guys are out there and that, you know, as a coach I put them in the best position to succeed."

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