The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 73 thing for your partner — keep the shoul- ders square, drive through the three tech- nique [defensive tackle] or nose tackle and set your partner up. That's what he does." He learned from the best, Keegan said, and he plans to be the guy to continue the Michigan offensive line legacy so nothing will change even after he leaves. "When I was a freshman, our whole offensive line were draft picks. They were really talented," he said. "I watched Ben Bredeson every single play, watched what he did outside of football and his person- ality as a captain. I really just tried to do everything he did. "Now that there are younger guys that look up to me, I try to do the same thing and be a role model and leader for them. I feel like a lot of guys have done the same." He has personal goals, too, of course — to be that All-American and get drafted as high as possible. But the team objectives come first, and he understands he'll likely have reached his personal goals if they win a national title. In that sense, he said, win- ning it all is the only thing that matters. He can't wait to get started chasing it one more time. ❑ Michigan's Best Offensive Guard Combos Of The Last 40 Years Michigan was Offensive Line U. for decades before hitting a bit of a lull, but now the program is back to putting players in the NFL with regularity. The Wolverines have several starting guards in the league and others who will be soon. Interior line play has almost always been strong at U-M. Here are five of the best guard combos we remember dating back to 1993. 5. Ben Bredeson and Mike Onwenu, 2018-19: The Wolverines ran for 203.8 yards per game in 2018 behind a road-grading line, led by the future NFL guards. Both Bredeson and Onwenu made at least one of the All-Big Ten teams in both seasons they played together. Onwenu would earn NFL All-Rookie honors in his first season with New England in 2020. 4. Mike Husar and Dean Dingman, 1988: Husar was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and Dingman a rising star during the 9-2-1 Big Ten and Rose Bowl championship season. Dingman would earn All-America honors in 1990 for that dominant line, as well. The Wolverines rushed for 252.6 yards per game in 1988, with back Tony Boles leading the way with 1,478 yards. 3. Jerry Diorio and Stefan Humphries, 1983: Diorio earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and Humphries first-team and All-America honors in 1983. Both were also incredible students and members of the 1983 Academic All-Big Ten squad, Humphries also an Academic All-American. Michigan averaged 263.3 yards behind the big and talented line led by these two. 2. Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan, 2021-22: Michigan dominated on the ground the last two years, and Keegan and Zinter were huge reasons why. They bullied Ohio State into submission in two consecutive games, and both will be All-America candidates this year after earning All-Big Ten honors last season. 1. Steve Hutchinson and Jonathan Goodwin, 2000: Hutchinson is arguably the best offensive guard in Michigan history, an NFL Hall of Famer and two-time All-American (consensus in 2000). He was Big Ten Of- fensive Lineman of the Year his final season and an Outland Trophy finalist. Goodwin was a great comple- ment, earning second-team All-America honors the next year and enjoying a long NFL career of his own. — Chris Balas "We want to do the same thing again, but we want that national championship. We've done everything we had to up to the semifinal games. We want to be in the national championship and win it." — KEEGAN PHOTO BY DOMINICK SOKOTOFF