The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/998618
88 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW OFFENSIVE LINE used to say, he's got greasy hips, meaning he's not stiff in the middle of his body," Skene said. "He can move his hips and get lateral and squat at the same time. He can move laterally, keep his shoulders pointed up field and quickly get his feet back underneath him. He's got all the tools to be really good in there. "A lot of young linemen will get turned to the sideline [by a defender] really fast. He's got the tools to be able to get over a combo block up field and maintain a square stance with really good feet. That's not entirely com- mon. That's some gifted athletic ability. I think he could be a really, really nice center, able to work in space and in pass pro, get out of his stance and help the guards. I look for a big year out of him." Onwenu, meanwhile, lost some weight this spring to get to 6-3, 350 pounds. While still huge, he is moving much better. His powerful, straight-ahead run-blocking ability has never been an issue — it's always been whether he'd be able to move well enough to pull or have quick enough feet in pass protection. "As a run blocker that guy could move anybody," Skene said. "That's a big, power- ful dude. He's a strong, strong kid. There's nothing stopping him from being a dominant base-blocking guy. "His area of improvement is in space on pulling plays where he's got to get to the edge or to a linebacker before he crosses the formation. On backside cutoff blocks, he's got to get up to a linebacker to keep him from getting front side. He's got to be quicker and faster out there, and he'll be good." Much of that depends on his conditioning, which has been an issue for most of his first two years. If he shows up this fall in great shape, he'll have a chance to be an outstand- ing all-around lineman. "That's the only thing keeping him from being really good," Skene said. "You look at a play where they like to pull the front-side guard to the edge, that sweep play. It's dif- ficult for him to get out there through those guys. Being lighter will help him there." Bredeson, Ruiz and Onwenu have the po- tential to be a dominant interior. The question mark is once again at tackle, and it starts on the left side. The Michigan coaches even looked at graduate transfers for depth, includ- ing Rice's Calvin Anderson (who eventually chose Texas). Fifth-year senior Juwann Bushell-Beatty took the most reps on the blind side this spring after working into better shape (now 6-6, 315), but he's got plenty to prove after a number of years in and out of the lineup at right tackle. "My first thought a few years ago when I saw him against Rutgers was he struggled a little bit in pass protection," Skene recalled. "When it's third-and-long, and they press a defensive end out wide and he's got to really get out in space, can he do that by himself without having to put a back or tight end over there? "But every year is different. I'm still going to throw in a little bit of caution and say if the kid was a left tackle, he never would have left the position to go to right tackle. Maybe Coach Warinner sees something else, and maybe he's got a read on the kid's attitude and performance." There have been several players who haven't excelled until later in their careers. Runyan Jr., too, looks like another who might fit that bill. He was extremely consistent at right tackle this spring, Bredeson said, and looked the part of someone who can be counted on at the position. "Physically, he has all the tools to be a good offensive lineman," Skene said. "He's athletic enough, can move and has all the tools you need." There are areas in which he was still learn- ing last year, however. One, Skene said, was not to take his eyes off his responsibility. "I think part of that will be cleaned up with coaching, but I vividly remember breaking down the bowl game last year," Skene noted. "The first series he stepped inside to help his guard, took his eyes off the front-side linebacker and didn't look at him again until he was staring at the back of his helmet as he was rushing the quarterback. "As an offensive lineman, you can't be single-man focused. You've got to have your eyeballs looking and scanning, and also use your two hands as a second set of eyes. You have to work both of them. Runyan has got to get good at looking at both. You can't get stuck looking at one guy, but much of that can be simplified with coaching." The Wolverines could get a huge boost if redshirt junior Grant Newsome were able to Michigan's front has several question marks on the outside, but junior guard Michael Onwenu (above) is a good bet to complete what should be a solid interior with center Cesar Ruiz and left guard Ben Bredeson. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN