The Wolverine

October 2019

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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36 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2019 M ichigan didn't make it to the first game of the season before losing one of its potential starters on offense. Redshirt sophomore Andrew Stueber was lost for the year with an ACL tear in his knee, head coach Jim Harbaugh con- firmed Aug. 26, after a neck-and- neck battle with redshirt freshman Jalen Mayfield for the right to start at right tackle. Harbaugh was somber in making the announcement the Monday be- fore U-M's opener against Middle Tennessee State. "He was right there," Harbaugh said. "I've been asked this ques- tion over and over — who's going to be the right tackle? And May- field, Stueber were both compet- ing, working, wanting that position, never giving an inch at any time. "You feel for Andrew Stueber because of that. It was so impor- tant to both of them. He'll be back. Jalen Mayfield was right there along [with him] the whole time. We didn't know which way it was going to go." Sophomore defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who'd had his battles with both in spring and fall camp, said he was pleased with the way Mayfield responded after Stueber went down. "Man, they were competing for the longest time," Hutchinson said. "They were competing since the start of spring ball. But they're both really good competitors. They were both really working their tails off in camp, in spring ball. "Now that Stueber is out, Jalen's adopted the starter attitude. You've just got to bring that attitude every day to practice, into the games and everything." Mayfield proved solid in his first two games at right tackle. However, the biggest surprise came on the other side of the line, where redshirt freshman Ryan Hayes stepped in for banged-up All-Big Ten left tackle Jon Runyan Jr. and played extremely well against MTSU in his first-ever game action. "They played good, especially Ryan Hayes, who was our offensive player of the game," Harbaugh said after week one. "He graded out right there with [starters and veterans] Ben Bredeson and Cesar Ruiz and Mike Onwenu, which I thought was really impressive. Ben was a little higher, but considering it was Ryan's first start, first game, seeing the effort that he gave … he had some really fine blocks, is good with his hands and sets, etc. "I thought Jalen was also good." With Runyan hoping to return for the Sept. 21 game at Wisconsin, that gave Harbaugh and offensive line coach Ed Warinner something to think about. Hayes has also been working at right tackle, and he's ex- pected to push Mayfield there after Runyan returns. "That's something we'll address," Harbaugh explained. "Jon's argu- ably our best lineman — if not our best, our clear second … we'll see though. "I'm really impressed with Ryan. It's a meritocracy all the way. Is there ability to compete at the other tackle spot? Sure. Does that open up options if he's come this far playing this well? That bodes well for the team." — Chris Balas SHEA PATTERSON IS BANGED UP HEADING INTO BIG TEN PLAY Michigan senior quarterback Shea Patterson had a great fall camp and took his game to another level. It took one play, however, before he faced his first major adversity of the season. Patterson scrambled, was hit and lost a fumble on the first snap of a 40- 21 win over Middle Tennessee State Aug. 31, and it appeared to affect him in the remainder of the game against MTSU and the following week versus Army. Head coach Jim Harbaugh hinted to it after the MTSU win and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis confirmed it a week later — Patterson suffered an oblique (abdominal) injury on that first carry, and it had limited the sig- nal-caller. He seemed tentative to pull the ball and run in read-option situa- tions in a week two win over Army, and it appeared he left several yards on the field because of it. Gattis said he didn't think the in- jury had anything to do with Patter- son's decisions. Regardless, the Sept.   MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Andrew Stueber Out For The Year, But Depth Emerges At Right Tackle 2019 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Time (ET) Aug. 31 Middle Tennessee State (BTN) W, 40-21 Sept. 7 Army (FOX) W, 24-21 Sept. 21 at Wisconsin* (FOX) Noon Sept. 28 Rutgers* (BTN) Noon Oct. 5 Iowa*^ (TBA) Noon Oct. 12 at Illinois* (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2) TBA Oct. 19 at Penn State* (TBA) TBA Oct. 26 Notre Dame (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2) TBA Nov. 2 at Maryland* (TBA) Noon Nov. 16 Michigan State* (TBA) TBA Nov. 23 at Indiana* (TBA) TBA Nov. 30 Ohio State* (FOX) Noon Dec. 7 Big Ten Championship Game$ (FOX) 8 p.m. * Big Ten game; ^ Homecoming; $ at Indianapolis Redshirt freshman Ryan Hayes made his Michigan debut as the starting left tackle in the season opener and was named the offense's player of the game by the coaching staff. He started there again for game two against Army. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL

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