Michigan’s offensive line is one of the biggest unknowns on the entire team heading into 2017, but will go a long way in determining how successful the Wolverines are this season.
While the left side appears to be in good shape with senior Mason Cole and sophomore Ben Bredeson the likely starters at tackle and guard, respectively, the rest of the unit is a bit of an unknown.
Tackles and tight ends coach Greg Frey was hired this past offseason for a second stint in Ann Arbor — he also served under former coach Rich Rodriguez — and spoke about his relationship with the aforementioned Cole.
“You’ll have to confirm this, but I think I was his first offer,” he said. “We’re from the same town. My dad actually went to East Lake High School [in Florida], and that’s close to where I grew up. I’ve had the privilege of watching Mason develop as a young man and as a person.”
Frey explained that he knew Cole was going to be great from a young age.
“Mason was special in high school,” he said. “They had a great team down there, and he was definitely a leader on it. When you’d go and watch him practice, there was just something different about him — he had the ‘it factor.’
“I’m a big fan of guys who take advantage of opportunities and chase their dreams, and Mason did that. Being a part of it makes it special.”
During his career in Ann Arbor, Cole has been a model of consistency for the Wolverines.
In 2014, he became the first freshman in school history to start a season-opener on the offensive line. In fact, Cole has gone on to start every game of his Michigan career, giving him 38 consecutive starts heading into 2017.
After playing center for the Wolverines last year, he is expected to make the transition to left tackle this upcoming season.
“If he helps us win there, then I love it,” Frey explained. “If he helps us win at center, I’d love that too — it’s about whatever helps us score points. If you ask Mason, he’d play wide receiver if he thought it would help us win.”
Although Michigan’s offensive line will likely see several young starters on it in 2017, one position that could potentially feature a veteran is right tackle. Redshirt junior Juwann Bushell-Beatty and redshirt sophomore Jon Runyan Jr. have as good a chance as anybody to start there, and Frey touched on each of them.
“With both of those guys, I didn’t really go back and watch much film on them [before I got here],” he revealed. “Jon is actually one of the better athletes on the offensive line, and we try to harness his strengths in a way that will help us win.
“Bushell-Beatty is a big monstrous guy who cares a lot, so you’re trying to put both guys in a position where they can be the best possible player. What’s stuck out the most about those two guys is their enthusiasm to learn, and their willingness to respond to constructive criticism.”
Although Michigan lost starting offensive linemen Ben Braden, Kyle Kalis and Erik Magnuson to graduation after last season, many think a revamped 2017 line could actually wind up being better than last year's. Having someone like Cole — who is incredibly versatile and has the ability to start at multiple positions — on it certainly provides a boost.
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