The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 79 [ O F F E N S I V E L I N E ] personality. You couldn't ask for more from a position coach in Year 1 than what Sherrone Moore gave them. He didn't have a lot of experience coaching the O-line, but he obviously played there. "That was one heck of a find and one heck of a reassignment by Jim Harbaugh. He's a guy you've got to keep on the staff, long term." NO GUARANTEES ON HOW IT COMES TOGETHER There's a different mix every year at almost every position group. This year's O-line crew looks strong on the surface, but until it gets the job done in the tough- est venues against the toughest opponents, there's no predicting how good it will be. Karsch saw up close some of the ele- ments that went into making last year's line so successful. He noted they're not ones that can be automatically replicated. "It feels like, unfortunately, their only way to go is down," Karsch noted, deliver- ing what some very large humans might take as a challenge. "It's hard to repeat what they did a year ago. "They've set the bar pretty high for themselves, and I'm sure they wouldn't want it any other way. Now they get to go out and prove it." Part of that means replacing what most did not see amid the blocking schemes. "When you lose guys — especially an intangibles guy like Vastardis — you never know how that impacts a position group or a team until they get out there and com- pete," Karsch observed. "The chemistry is different, the leader- ship is different, knowing your teammates and how to get them to respond is different. "I remember Vastardis — I think it was in the Northwestern game — watching him yell at the guys on the offensive line at halftime, about what he saw that was unac- ceptable. There was spit and foam coming out of his mouth. "Who's going to be that guy? You can try to be that guy, but you don't just say, 'OK, you be the spit and yell at 'em guy.' You have to earn everybody's respect and command a huddle to get a response out of them. Those are the things that still have to be sorted out." Moore will be looking for both the schemes and the spit. He'll also seek to fashion another offensive line that can stomp the yard and dance before a pumped-up crowd. ❏ Olu Oluwatimi Looks Like A Fine Fit In Maize And Blue Junior linebacker Jaylen Harrell simply labeled grad transfer center Olu Oluwatimi "the real deal." Nobody stood up to disagree. Oluwatimi appears to be the perfect find at the perfect time for a Michigan squad losing its sixth- year stalwart center. Andrew Vastardis proved the tip of the spear in last year's Big Ten championship run, leaving a significant hole in the middle of an otherwise rugged line. Last year's Rimington Trophy finalist for Virginia turned up as the plug that could seal another strong front wall for the Wolverines. He started 32 straight games at center for the Cavaliers, garnering second-team All-America honors last season. Pro Football Focus tabbed him the second-best run-blocking center in the nation a year ago. And Oluwatimi saw nothing blocking his way to Ann Arbor. "Michigan as a university? It stands alone," Oluwatimi said. "It stood above the rest of the options that I had when I entered the transfer portal. "The offensive line is coming off the Joe Moore Award. The team is coming off the College Football Playoff. I just love the momentum of the program, and I felt like I could add to it. "It was a no-brainer." Oluwatimi comes in as a full brainer, having earned his undergrad degree in economics from Vir- ginia. He'll be using his smarts as well as his 6-3, 310-pound size to Michigan's advantage. His teammates on offense delivered high praise regarding him from the very start of spring ball. Head coach Jim Harbaugh joined them in that assessment. "He hasn't missed a beat," Harbaugh said. "He came in and hit the ground running like he's been here for three or four years. Very good leadership, very mature guy, very strong guy. A great addition would be the first impression there." Even Michigan's defenders were struck by the way Oluwatimi carried himself in the spring. "He came in real quiet, real chill," junior defensive lineman Kris Jenkins said. "You could tell he's about his business, and you could definitely see that play out on the field. The dude is very talented, very humble, always looking for new aspects to help his game, to tweak the little stuff. "He also has been pushing us a lot, too. We've been growing with him, and he's been teaching us stuff. He's been a great addition to have on the team. His personality is awesome." — John Borton Graduate transfer Olu Oluwatimi started his final 32 games at Virginia at center and was one of three finalists in 2021 for the Rimington Trophy, which is annually awarded to the nation's top center. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND