Jim Harbaugh: Michigan Offensive Line Is 'Surprising In A Good Way'

There will be no left guard controversy.

Michigan Wolverines head football coach Jim Harbaugh was mum during his Monday press conference on who the starting five along the offensive line will be.

However, Harbaugh revealed in the summer that redshirt sophomore Ryan Hayes, second-year freshman Zak Zinter and redshirt junior Andrew Stueber will start if healthy, while many expect sixth-year senior Andrew Vastardis to get the nod at center.

The top true position battle is at left guard, where redshirt freshman Trevor Keegan came out of the spring ahead but redshirt junior Chuck Filiaga had a great offseason and fall camp. Harbaugh provided some more insight while appearing on the Inside Michigan Football radio show with host Jon Jansen Monday night.

"It’s a group that’s really surprising in a great way," Harbaugh revealed after saying that expectations for the offensive line are high.

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It appears there truly is a top six at this point, just days ahead of the opener.

"It is their first time playing together as a unit. Guys like Hayes and Stueber and Vastardis and Keegan and Zinter and Chuck Filiaga, [who's] has had a tremendous camp and entire offseason — guys that have put themselves in position to contribute and play and start.

"Not to say that there are battles going on — we know where it is right now — but there’s some good depth there. Good starters, good depth and guys that are interchangeable in a lot of ways. That’s the way it’s becoming."

Due to injuries last season, several younger players, like Zinter and Keegan, were thrust into action ahead of schedule. While it caused for growing pains a year ago, it proved beneficial for their development.

"It’s been a good thing, that experience that they had, maybe playing somewhat earlier," Harbaugh noted. "They proved that they can play in games, and now getting that much better every time that they go out to practice or every time they suit up."

The group has exceeded expectations in camp, as Harbaugh noted, but all that really matters is how it performs on game day. And until they suit up and compete against the Broncos on Saturday and the other 11 teams on the regular-season schedule, nobody will know exactly how good they are.

"You don’t know for sure. There’s definitely a thing about being a gamer — playing really good, executing when it’s the game," Harbaugh said, talking about all positions. "Whether you’re a piano player, a football player or anybody, a doctor, that’s gotta perform. How are you going to do that when it’s game time? You find out in your first game, and I think a lot of guys are going to surprise us in a good way."

Harbaugh officially named redshirt freshman Cade McNamara as the team's starting quarterback Monday, and he's got some solid skill position players to distribute the ball to. Harbaugh said earlier in camp that he feels this is the most really good wideouts he's had while coaching in Ann Arbor.

Still, there is a trio standing out above the rest.

"I think it starts with [junior] Ronnie Bell and [sophomore] Cornelius Johnson — those two — [and sophomore] Mikey Sainristil," Harbaugh explained. "All three of them have had great offseasons, good camps.

"And none better than Ronnie Bell. His whole summer has been outstanding. He just goes and goes and goes, does the same thing in practice. They’re a group that I’m excited to watch compete and be gamers. You know Ronnie is, and CJ has definitely had his moments, really flashed in games as well as practice — that level of consistency. Mike Sainristil, love the way he plays and competes and blocks and does all those things. [He’s] very well rounded.

"I think [second-year freshmen] A.J. Henning, Roman Wilson are guys that are going to be playing full time, be playing a lot and have the ability and the license to show what they can do."

At running back and tight end, respectively, redshirt sophomore Hassan Haskins, the team's leading rusher last season with 375 yards, and sophomore Erick All are the household names, but Harbaugh said the Wolverines have the ability to get innovative at the two positions due to the depth they possess.

"I think we can be very creative with good players," he said after being asked about the running backs. "I’d say the same thing at the tight end position, with Erick All and [redshirt sophomore] Luke Schoonmaker, [redshirt junior] Joel Honigford, [redshirt junior] Carter Selzer, [freshman] Matt Hibner. That’s quite a group as well.

"A running back, to be able to run the ball between the tackles, yet to be able to run it on the perimeter, to be able to block, to be able to catch. Those tools, the best backs are the most well-rounded backs who can do all those things that you ask."

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