The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN FOOTBALL shirt. He's been out with an arm in- jury since early September, and Hoke said Morgan's senior status wouldn't prevent them from applying for a redshirt if it was in Morgan's best interest. "I don't think there's any differ- ence [with a veteran and a redshirt]," Hoke said. "I just think it's how guys progress … I think we're kind of by [a deadline for his return] in some ways." B u t H o k e — who studiously avoids extended commentary on injuries — added, "I didn't say that" when asked if Morgan would miss the rest of the year. HOKE: SUMMER CAMP FORMATS COULD BE SLOWING LINE GROWTH Gone are the days when most high school football prospects would make their summer plans around a week at a college program's football camp. These days, more and more partake in seven-on-seven AAU pro- grams and the like, and Michigan head coach Brady Hoke believes that might be helping receivers while hin- dering linemen. Offensive line development might be affected most, in his opinion. Part of that could be attributed to a change in summer camp formats, Hoke said. "The one thing that's happened in the game a little bit is all the seven- on-seven going on around the coun- try — skill players getting opportuni- ties to go and get better throughout the spring and summer," he said. "That part of the game has probably progressed. Four-day lineman camps you don't see as much anymore. M a y b e t h a t ' s hurting the game a little more, as g u y s p r o g r e s s from high school to college." M i c h i g a n ' s young line con- sists of a true freshman in left t a c k l e M a s o n Cole and a pair of redshirt sopho- mores in right tackle Ben Braden and — for the past few games — right guard Kyle Kalis. Redshirt sopho- more Erik Magnuson had been start- ing at left guard before he got hurt. A lack of experience up front and evolving defenses has also made things difficult on a young group. "How people are playing defenses … the movements, the different fronts you may see during course of the game, someone is always try- ing to recreate defense," Hoke said. "That may be another part of what you're seeing with slower develop- ment that we all want for the guys up front." Michigan ranked tied for 74th na- tionally in sacks allowed after seven games, relinquishing 2.17 per game. DIGITAL BONUS: Borton & Balas Football Podcast CLICK THE ICON TO PLAY OR STOP THE AUDIO