The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1202829
FEBRUARY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 27 Each of the Wolverines' five starters — left to right, Ru- nyan, Bredeson, junior Cesar Ruiz, senior Mike Onwenu and redshirt freshman Jalen Mayfield — earned some form of All-Big Ten honors for a second straight year, and all had moments in which they were dominant. Onwenu twice earned Offensive Lineman of the Game honors (Army and Illinois) and had his best season in a third-team All-Big Ten campaign. Mayfield was a pleasant surprise at right tackle, Ruiz was solid at center, and the left side with Runyan and Bredeson was dominant at times. This group played extremely well in its last two games, two of its biggest tests. It held elite Ohio State end Chase Young in check (no tackles) and pushed Alabama's talented defense all over the field in the first half of the Citrus Bowl. It was a good year for the men up front. Offensive Line status Of schOLarship pLayers B+ MVP SENIOR GUARD BEN BREDESON Michigan's senior shared the Hugh H. Rader Offensive Lineman of the Year Award with fifth-year senior Jon Ru- nyan Jr., and both were very good for most of the year. Bredeson, though, was the best of all the linemen. The left guard's motor never quit, and he finished blocks and played to the whistle on every down. The two-time captain was one of Michigan's more physical linemen of the last decade, and he earned some form of All-Big Ten honors in each of his four years. Bredeson saved his best season for last. He was honored as the best pass-blocking guard in the country by Pro Football Focus — he spent 451 snaps in pass protection with no hits or sacks allowed — and earned second-team All- America honors from Walter Camp plus third-team notice from the Associated Press. 2020 PLAYER TO WATCH ANDREW STUEBER Many believe Stueber was in line to start this year at right tackle before blowing out his knee in fall practice. Given how well redshirt freshman Jalen Mayfield played this season in replacing him, that bodes well for a line that's going to go through an overhaul in 2020. Four starters are gone — only Mayfield returns, and it's likely he will move to left tackle — so there will be plenty of room for others vying for playing time. Stueber, a rising redshirt junior, might be better suited for guard, and he'll likely end up there given U-M's other options at tackle. Rising redshirt sophomore Ryan Hayes played well in his stints at tackle this year and will battle redshirt freshman Karsen Barnhart and others for the right to start on the edge, where he seems best suited. Expect the coaches to mix and match to find the right combinations, but Stueber should win one of the spots. OVERALL GRADE NUMBERS TO KNOW Michigan's offensive line got off to a rough start in the run-blocking depart- ment in 2019, with the club averaging 3.4 yards per carry or fewer in three of U-M's first four games. The front five picked up its play, how- ever, and subsequently helped the team exceed that mark in seven of the Wolver- ines' final nine outings, including a 295- yard rushing effort in the win at Illinois Oct. 12 and a 303-yard performance in the victory over then-No. 8 Notre Dame Oct. 26. Michigan's offensive line also paved the way for at least three rushing touchdowns in four of the final eight games. GRADUATED: Ben Bredeson Michael Onwenu Jon Runyan Jr. GOING PRO EARLY: Cesar Ruiz TRANSFERRED: Stephen Spanellis * Former walk-on ELIGIBILITY REMAINING (YEARS): Andrew Vastardis (1)* Chuck Filiaga (2) Joel Honigford (2) Andrew Stueber (2) Ryan Hayes (3) Jalen Mayfield (3) Karsen Barnhart (4) Zach Carpenter (4) Trente Jones (4) Trevor Keegan (4) Nolan Rumler (4) Jack Stewart (4) Ben Bredeson PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL