The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/998618
THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 87 OFFENSIVE LINE FYI Mason Cole set a Michigan record in starting 51 consecutive games and was taken 97th overall by Arizona in the third round of the NFL Draft. He's just the second U-M offensive lineman drafted since two were selected in 2014 — joining center/guard Graham Glasgow (No. 95) in 2016. Michigan's 36 sacks allowed last year averaged out to 2.77 per game, placing the Wolverines in a tie for 110th out of 130 teams nationally. The 36 sacks tied with the 2013 team for the worst showing in the last 10 years. The group also allowed 6.38 tackles for loss per game, which tied for 91st nationally. FootballOutsiders.com did not rank U-M's offensive line favorably in many of their advanced metrics — but they graded out extremely well in one area, power success rate. That measures the percentage of runs on third or fourth down, with two yards or less to go, that achieved a first down or touchdown. The Wolverines ranked seventh in the land, succeeding 79.5 percent of the time. Of the current offensive linemen on the roster, seven were ranked four-star recruits out of high school by Rivals.com, while six were three-star signees and one was a two-star prospect. Of the highest-rated seven, six were among Rivals' top 250 seniors nationally, but only two were in the top 100 (Cesar Ruiz, No. 41 in 2017; Ben Bredeson, No. 60 in 2016). Of the last eight last U-M offensive line draftees — which dates back to No. 1 pick Jake Long in 2008 — six were four- or five-star prospects by Rivals.com. ably at the same age to linemen he's coached who went on to start as NFL rookies. "Your center makes a lot of calls in there that set your protections. If he sets them wrong, you've got problems," Warinner noted. "He's been very good at that. "We go through all the looks, we have our rules and it's all coached up. You can tell him in meetings and then go through it. Then it's when you're out there in live bullets, can he do it? He can do it." Skene saw enough of Ruiz in his time on the field last year to realize the Wolverines had a potentially special player in the 6-4, 316-pounder. "The kid's very athletic, and as [former Michigan offensive line coach] Les Miles Junior Ben Bredeson was an All- Big Ten second-team honoree by the league coaches and media after starting 12 games at left guard last year. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN YEAR-BY-YEAR RUSHING YARDS Rush Yards Yards Year Rush Yards Total Yards Per Game Per Rush 2017 2,310 4,536 177.7 4.4 2016 2,768 5,524 212.9 4.8 2015 2,057 5,147 158.2 4.2 2014 1,954 3,996 162.8 4.6 2013 1,634 4,855 125.7 3.3 2012 2,389 4,980 183.8 4.8 2011 2,884 5,261 221.8 5.2 2010 3,101 6,353 238.5 5.6 2009 2,234 4,614 186.2 4.5 2008 1,771 3,489 147.6 3.9 Ed Warinner, FootballScoop.com's Offensive Line Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2014, gave the group he inherited a clean slate and got back to the basics with them this spring. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN