The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1133554
BY CHRIS BALAS T here might be no higher compli- ment for a former O-lineman turned head coach than to have his program called "Offensive Line U." — espe- cially if said coach not only played the position himself but would rather batter defenses slowly with "three yards and a cloud of dust" than put on an aerial show. That was former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, who with the help of line coaches Jerry Hanlon, Les Miles and others churned out offensive linemen like Ford puts out Tauruses. It was an assembly line of All- Americans, guys like Reggie McKenzie, Dan Dierdorf and Mike Kenn in the 1970s, Bubba Paris and Jumbo Elliott in the 1980s, and too many others to list. Former Michigan head coaches Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr kept the tradition go- ing until the mid-2000s with talents like Jon Jansen and Jake Long, among others. In 2007, production up front slowed. In came new head coach Rich Rodriguez, whose emphasis on speed and skill positions — fair or not to the big blockers — seemed to mini- mize the position's importance. There were still some great players and no lack of effort from the guys in the trenches, but the days of five behemoths and a tight end or two mauling defenses in harmony had gone by the wayside. The former Michigan greats noticed. "Wisconsin," 1992 All-Big Ten offensive lineman Doug Skene responded recently (and quickly) when asked which Big Ten school's line had carried the torch for the conference in the last few decades. As for how much it bothered him … "A lot," he interrupted before the question had even been finished. "Wisconsin reminds me of us 25 years ago," he continued. "They are going to play smart and maul you. Some of those Wisconsin lines over the years have played with more aggres- sion than others, but they're always sound. "In 2010, I was at the game when they ran the same two plays the entire second half against Michigan [in a 48-28 Badgers vic- tory]. Mike Martin was the nose guard, and he was getting bludgeoned by the Wisconsin line double-teaming him, and they were lov- ing every minute of it. Mike Martin was pretty doggone good too. It reminded me of our 1992 line and what we used to do. It reminded me of what we used to be." But, Skene says without hesitation, U-M seems to be on its way again under second- year offensive line coach Ed Warinner. Head coach Jim Harbaugh poached Warin- ner from Minnesota before last season, know- ing he needed more consistency up front. Warinner had proven himself as one of the best offensive line teachers in the game long before then, taking Kansas to unprecedented Warinner, a 35-year coaching veteran, was hired away from Minnesota before last season and immedi- ately improved the Wolverines' front line. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 43