Michigan has begun preparation for its Oct. 24 game at Minnesota, getting a huge boost recently from redshirt sophomore Jalen Mayfield’s return. Mayfield had opted out before deciding to return last week, and he’ll be the anchor on what should be a talented — albeit inexperienced — offensive line.

Mayfield will stay at right tackle this year while redshirt sophomore Ryan Hayes mans the left tackle spot. Offensive line coach Ed Warinner has already singled out Hayes twice this fall for his practice habits.

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Stueber, last year’s front-runner to win the right tackle spot (just barely) before going down with a knee injury, would give the group a huge boost if he returned healthy, likely moving to right guard. Mayfield stayed in constant contact with his friend and has been encouraging him for the last several months, he said this summer.

“I talk to him all the time,” he said, “I know he is really excited for the season, and so are all the other guys.

“I told him, ‘we don’t need anything spectacular. Just do what you want to do and do it at the highest level possible.’ If we do that and get all five guys to do that same thing game in, game out, we have an opportunity to do something really special here.”

Former Michigan All-American offensive tackle Jon Jansen has been a keen observer over the last few years and loves the talent coming in. Warinner has also said many times how much he loves the potential of the group, as long as they continue their ascent.

But the competition is clearly bringing out their best. Veterans like Stueber, center Andrew Vastardis (another Warinner has tweeted about a few times) and redshirt junior Chuck Filiaga have waited their turn, and now they want to play.

“We could still have a lot of older guys playing,” Mayfield noted. “Communication is going to be huge for us, but I think after a couple practices when we get back into it, we’ll be right back in the swing of things.

“We lost four great guys [to the NFL]. They worked their butts off every day to be as talented as they were and as good as they were. We also had younger guys who sat behind them, and they did everything we even though they weren’t playing at the time. There’s no doubt when we get to the middle of the season, we’ll be clicking just like we were last year. No doubt that will happen.”

Freshman Zak Zinter has reportedly been working with the ones at times. He and the others have been “very intriguing,” Mayfield continued.

“Zinter was amazing all through the winter conditioning and stuff. He impressed me. He’s a hard-working kid. Karsen Barnhart goes hard every day, and he’s a really good kid. Trevor Keegan, all those young guys, they want to be good.

“I think that’s half the battle. Once you realize you want to be good and you put your mindset that you want to play, that can make you just as good a player as everyone else.”

It takes experience, of course, something that can’t be taught. Mayfield found his confidence about the middle of the season a year ago, and he wasn’t taking anything for granted this spring despite many labeling him a 2021 first round NFL Draft pick possibility.

“We have meetings going over all the installs for the playbook and stuff, but every week I sit by myself and draw up fronts I’ve seen, where I messed up last year, going back over film, watching OSU , Alabama, Wisconsin and Penn State games looking over all my missed assignments there and how we could correct those,” he said. “There were a few plays in all where the outcome could have been changed just on minor details.”

This is the year he hones in on those and takes it to the next level, he insisted.

If he reaches his potential, it’s likely this year will be his last ... and he'd love to go out on top.

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