The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/152358
them a job. "These guys aren't perfect, and these three inside, whoever it ends up being, they're going to make mistakes," Funk said. "Hopefully we can limit them because really good lines aren't inconsistent. That's the ultimate goal. "Will you be perfect? No. But will you pretty darn consistent? Yeah, if you want to be a good line, you have to be." Michigan may not announce its starting lineup at Hoke's normal game-week Monday press conference Aug. 26, but the coaches will know — Funk admitted the staff knew, and the starting five was in place, two weeks before last year's opener against Alabama — and on the first Saturday of the season, any final talk about potential will cease to exist. Production is all that matters, and the coaches are confident that when it's game time, the interior of the line will be ready. "I can't say it's not a question because guys haven't played much," offensive coordinator Al Borges said. "You can't say it's just going to be OK, but you have to coach them like it's just going to be OK. You have to have the attitude it's going to be OK. "You've got to hope like heck you're putting guys in position that can handle this style of football and this level of football. I think we're doing that, but there are going to be growing pains, I don't care where you are. Somebody is going to have to learn the hard way. "Their deal is going to be getting Redshirt freshman Ben Braden is battling hard to lock down his claim on U-M's starting job at left guard this fall. Photo by Lon Horwedel into games, getting some turns, maybe screwing something up here and there. But in terms of their ability to pull, zone block, down block, or any of that stuff, gap block, physically they don't have any issues that way. "I just believe in time, once those kids get in there and get chemistry I'm always talking about, I think they're going to show up." ❑