The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 87 OFFENSIVE LINE guy, but we have X amount of practices leading up to the game," he said. "He showed good signs, and we'll still tinker with it. He could go back to tackle, could be a guard. "We've got some freshmen and other guys coming in … they're all competing every day. My job is to put the best five guys on the field and see how it fits." One of those competing, Kugler, has been in the system for a while, and some expected him to be a starter by this point in his career. Yet the 6-5, 302-pounder has appeared in only four games in his career, all in a backup role. Added strength could punch his ticket from practice player to key contributor. "Pat is improving in the weight room, but he needs to keep getting stronger," Drevno said. "He just needs to keep working and improving with his tech- nique, his initial quickness, those types of things. We've talked about that. "But from day one since I've been here, he's taken what I've told him to do and he's done it. He keeps improving. He's doing some good things." As depth is concerned, the Wolverines have a number of options at all positions — a far cry from Hoke's first season. Bushell-Beatty (6-5, 325) made strides at the left tackle position and could also play on the right side if deemed the next best option. He played in four games last season, all as a reserve. "He's come a long way," Drevno said. "He's really done a good job in the weight room with Kevin, really changed his body and composi- tion. He's done a good job learning the system and loves to compete — it's important to him. "Juwann wants to be good and he's really developed, especially with his body. You can see that working for him on the field by him playing with strength." Ulizio (6-5, 291) is the other player on the spring roster with tackle ability. He will enter the season as the backup at right tackle. "When he first came in here it was new to him. High school to college, the volume of the playbook and the transition [was tough]," Drevno said. "But going to Florida and having another spring ball, you can really see it in his eyes — the confidence and understanding of what we want and how we want to do it. "He's really done a nice job this spring trying to get better, and he is." He, too, could play inside if needed, but another redshirt frosh — Jon Runyan Jr. (6-4, 304) — is the one battling with redshirt junior Dawson (6-4, 316) to backup the fifth-year seniors on both sides of center. "Jon, he got better this spring," Drevno said. "He can really play low with pad level. Sometimes when he does we say, 'Wow, that looks great.' "He's really showing great signs and strides. He's a guard, but like I said, it's interchangeable. It doesn't mean he couldn't play tackle." Dawson, meanwhile, has been playing his best football. The former four-star out of Detroit Cass Tech has started to put it all together. "He's gotten better from the day I got here until now, the maturity level, understanding the system, growing up as a person and has just really done a nice job," Drevno said. "He's a big, heavy-handed guy who can punch you, lock you down. He really plays with heavy hands." Three freshmen will arrive this fall to push them, and they all want to play. It's different with rookies than it used to be, Drevno noted — top-notch players recruited by the upper-echelon schools want to play early and can because they are talented enough and driven to succeed. Hartland (Wis.) Arrowhead High's Ben Bredeson (6-4, 280) might be the best bet. Rivals.com's No. 60 senior nationally was one of the most sought-after linemen in the country. "Ben is very intelligent, very mature," Drevno said. "He's got a mindset that he wants to play early in his career and he's athletic, bends well. "When you talk to him, he gets it. You can see the maturity level in his eyes … can tell this guy has got something special in him." Detroit Cass Tech's Michael Onwenu (6-3, 350) chose the Wolverines over Alabama, Ohio State and other national programs, and could also be an early contributor. Though big, Onwenu moves as well as many 250-pounders. "We'll evaluate him when he gets here, but we don't ever want to put something in someone's mind that he's too heavy or out of shape," Drevno said of Rivals. com's No. 147 senior nationally. "I want to see him run around. He has good feet, is explosive and has good initial quick- ness coming off the ball. There are a lot of things he brings." Like Bredeson, Onwenu will likely start his career on the interior. Finally, Baltimore Gilman's Stephen Spanellis (6-5, 315), Rivals. com's No. 36 senior tackle prospect nationally, will start out as a tackle at Michigan after a great prep career. "He's a very big man, and one thing I always say is you can't coach big," Drevno said. "He's a big guy, put together really well. He really made strides his junior to senior year and has really good length. I'm excited for him to join us." Either the freshmen or some of the others will have to step up, and sooner than later. There are plenty to choose from, however, and the group boasts enough talent to succeed this year as well as create a foundation for the future. ❏ Year-By-Year Rushing Yards Rush Yards Yards Year Rush Yards Total Yards Per Game Per Rush 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 2007 2,144 5,006 164.9 4.0 2006 2,282 4,820 175.5 4.3 Grant Newsome — a 6-7, 300-pounder who saw action in four games with one start as a true freshman last year — is the leading candidate to start at left tackle this fall. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN