The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/111015
������ michigan football Meanwhile, Williams won���t necessarily be limited to just blocking in the future, both Ferrigno and offensive coordinator Al Borges asserted. ���We think A.J. is going to be a helluva blocker someday and can do some things in the passing game,��� Ferrigno said. ���I don���t like that,��� Borges said, upon hearing a blocker-only reference directed at Williams. ���He doesn���t have to catch 50, but he has to pose a threat as a receiver if he���s an eligible receiver. ���Last year, because we were so role-oriented with our tight ends, we said, ���You���re in there basically to do this one thing��� because we had such young kids and didn���t want to overload them. This year, they���ve played. We have to take the next step there. A.J. has to catch a few balls, and we have to use Devin more blocking on the line of scrimmage.��� Adding Butt, Hill and some experience can���t hurt, Ferrigno noted. The tight end recruiting certainly won���t slack off, though. ���We���ll be a lot better,��� Ferrigno said. ���We���ve improved the position athletically, speed-wise. I just like the direction we���re going. We���ll bring the other two guys along, and they might have to help some next year. We just don���t have a lot of depth.��� Michael Schofield To Stay At Right Tackle When Taylor Lewan announced his decision to return for his senior season, offensive line coach Darrell Funk could pencil in two returning starters for his unit, counting on fifth-year senior Mi- chael Schofield to also anchor the Wolverines at right tackle. The 6-7, 300-pound Schofield started all 13 games at tackle for the Maize and Blue in 2012, but there was some talk that he might move to left guard, where he started 10 games next to Lewan in 2011. ���You���re always throwing ideas around, but I think it would be unfair to the kid to have him play there,��� Funk said, confirming Schofield will stay at tackle. ���He never had played much guard and he got better every week. Then he went back to tackle, his natural position, and to put him back inside at guard would be a disservice to him. ���Now if we have to do it, for the best interest of the team, we will, but I don���t think we���ll have to do that. ���I���d rather leave him on the edge. You know what you���ve got with him, and then with Taylor on the other side. He���s been terrific, and then you build the inside. That is the approach I want to take.��� With Lewan and Schofield locked in at the two tackle positions, Michigan can begin building the interior of the offensive line. Redshirt freshmen Kyle Kalis and Ben Braden are favorites to grab the guard posts while redshirt sophomore Jack Miller is the frontrunner at center. The 6-6, 308-pound Braden had impressed so much behind the scenes that if Lewan had gone pro, Braden would have likely been first in line to replace him. Instead, he will move inside, at least for a year. ���He���s a young man that absolutely