The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/152358
2008: Adam Kraus and Justin Boren had vacated left guard and center, and the duo of Jeremy Ciulla (five starts) and Alex Mitchell (five) at right guard had also departed. U-M would employ David Molk at center in 2008, flanked by right guard David Moosman and then Tim McAvoy (five starts), Jon Ferrara (five) and Mark Ortmann (two) at left guard. The 2008 offense managed a meager 147.6 yards rushing per game — the lowest total since 2001 (143.0) — while yielding 22 sacks and 93 tackles for loss, the latter the most since Michigan began keeping archived statistics of that category in 1997. 1993: Michigan said goodbye to three All-Big Ten first-team linemen from the 1992 team with the departures of guards Doug Skene and Joe Cocozzo and center Steve Everitt. In their place, the 1993 team started two left guards (Shawn Miller and Jon Runyan), two centers (Marc Milia and Rod Payne) and Joe Marinaro at right guard. Miller had started three games in 1992, but was still relatively inexperienced. With virtually the same running backs from 1992, Michigan saw production decline by 80 rushing yards, to 188.3 per game. 1984: Center Tom Dixon and right guard Stefan Humphries both garnered first-team All-America honors in 1983, and both were gone, along with left guard Jerry Diorio, another 12-game starter. To fill this huge void, Bo Schembechler moved starting right tackle Doug James (12 starts in 1983) to left guard while Art Balourdos and Bob Tabachino took over at center and right guard, respectively. The 1984 team went 6-6 — the only non-winning season of Schembechler's 21-year tenure, though QB play was the main issue — with the Maize and Blue averaging 173.5 yards rushing, marking the first time since 1967 (163.5) U-M averaged fewer than 200 yards per game. — Michael Spath and physically more gifted. He has much longer arms and he's heavier and stouter. The thing I'm able to do is that I have a good feel for the offense. I know the reason why we're doing certain things, what we're trying to accomplish. That gives me a leg up on the defender." When Michigan wrapped spring practice in April, Miller was first on the depth chart, though not by a wide margin. In the summer, he and Glasgow, a walk-on, pushed them- selves to the extremes, knowing fall camp would determine the Aug. 31 starter. There has been no let up from either one, and Glasgow is largely on equal footing. "I think Jack and I are fairly even right now," Glasgow said during media day festivities. "There are some areas where I'm better than Jack, and some areas where he's better than me. "We both understand the importance of the center role and know every day we have a chance to show