Roughly two weeks into Michigan football's fall camp, second-year freshman right guard Zak Zinter broke his right wrist when it got stuck in a teammate's facemask. He underwent surgery shortly thereafter, and was able to return to practice — while wearing a club on his hand — just days before the Wolverines' season-opener against Western Michigan Sept. 4.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh was assured by the team doctors that Zinter could not make the injury any worse by playing with it, and received clearance to play against the Broncos.

Since he hadn't practiced much leading up to the game, the Wolverines got creative, carving out a spot for him as an extra blocker on the end in heavy packages, while also allowing him to play some snaps at right guard, the position he's started at each of the ensuing two contests.

"I did want to play. I definitely didn’t want to miss the first game back in The Big House with fans, that was my first time in there [with fans]," Zinter said. "We talked to the doctor, and we figured out that playing with the club wasn’t going to hurt it any more. We worked in an extra big lineman into the package, got some reps at guard as well — just to get my feet wet, because I came back midway through the week to practice."

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Three weeks into the campaign, he's getting closer and closer to taking the club off.

"My bone hasn’t healed 100 percent yet, but with the cast, I’m 100 percent ready to go," Zinter said. "A few more weeks in that, hopefully, and I’ll be able to get my hand back."

Zinter's 71.0 PFF rating ranks sixth on the Michigan offense among players who have played 100 or more snaps, despite being held back a bit by the club. He hasn't been able to fully use his right — and dominant — hand, having to adjust.

"I can’t grab. You’re not supposed to hold as an offensive lineman, but getting the hands inside and being able to lock on is obviously an advantage," he explained. "Being in the club, not being able to do that, I’ve had to compensate with my left hand a little bit, keeping the feet alive a little bit more, locking up with the left hand a little bit."

He had surgery on his right hand in December, he added, noting that he has some experience being without full use of the appendage.

The Wolverines have the nation's No. 1 rushing attack, averaging 350.3 yards per game on the ground, and have ran the ball on 75 percent of their offensive snaps. Even when the opponent knows what's coming, it hasn't been able to slow down the dominant offensive line and running backs.

"Our goal is, we want to make them quit," Zinter said. "By midway through that last game, even the Washington game, we’re running the ball down their throat. They’re giving up, and we just kept the foot on the pedal. We want to make them give up and show them who we are.

"I think it gives us the best of both worlds. As long as we’re running the ball well, we don’t even need to pass it. But once they start stacking the box because they know we’re going to run, we’ve got the opportunity to throw it over their heads and get some passes in there, as well."

While it hasn't played top-notch competition to date, Rutgers is yielding 113 yards per game on the ground, meaning something will have to give Saturday at The Big House. Michigan knows the Scarlet Knights are intent on tilting their nose guard at a 45-degree angle at the A-gap in order to clog the middle of the formation and in an attempt to stop the run.

"Rutgers, with their tilt[ed] nose, they’re going to try to stop the run, but one thing we keep saying in the o-line room is, ‘smash.’ They know we’re going to run it; we’re still going to run it," Zinter said. "We’re just going to out-physical them and run it down their throats like we keep saying."

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