The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
O F F E N S I V E L I N E 78 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW POSITION COACH Grant Newsome is in his third season at Michigan as a full-time assistant coach and heading into his first leading the offensive line. New- some mentored U-M's tight ends the previous two campaigns, coach- ing three-All-Big Ten performers in Luke Schoonmaker (third team, 2022), Colston Love- land (first team, 2023) and AJ Barner (honorable men- tion, 2023). Schoonmaker (second round) and Barner (fourth round) were each selected in the NFL Draft. Prior to his move to the full-time staff in 2022, New- some worked with now-head coach Sherrone Moore in 2018-19 as a grad assistant to the tight ends and then with the offensive line in 2020-21. Newsome is a former offensive tackle for the Wol- verines, playing in 10 games with six starts in 2015-16 before suffering a severe knee injury. After missing his junior year, he announced his medical retirement from football as a senior and joined the staff as a student coach in 2018. He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree who also earned the Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Scholarship Award as the program's top student-athlete in 2016 and the Robert P. Ufer Bequest, which is given out to the player who shows the best attitude and enthusi- asm for Michigan. Newsome has two degrees from Michigan: a bach- elor's in American culture (2018) and a master's in public policy (2020). A native of Trenton, N.J., he was a four-star pros- pect, and the No. 204 overall player and No. 15 offen- sive tackle in the country in the 2015 recruiting class, per On3's Industry Ranking. RETURNING PLAYERS RAHEEM ANDERSON • C Sr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 316 • Appeared in one game as a junior and was named Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 after taking the top weekly honor four times. • Played in four games at center in reserve role in 2022. • Appeared in one game in 2021, at center against Northern Illinois (Sept. 18). Named Scout Team Player of the Week versus Wisconsin. • Enrolled early at U-M in January 2021. • Selected to the Detroit Free Press 2020 Dream Team and named first-team all-state by the As- sociated Press. • On3's Industry Ranking rated him a four-star pros- pect, and the No. 17 interior offensive lineman and No. 247 overall player in the country. TRISTAN BOUNDS • OT Sr. • Bethesda, Md. Ht.: 6-8 • Wt.: 305 • Saw time in one game in 2023. • Participated in three games at right tackle in wins over Hawai'i, UConn and Rutgers in 2022. • Appeared in one game in 2021 at right tackle in win over North- ern Illinois. • Enrolled early at U-M in January 2021. • Named to the Sports Illustrated High School All- American watch list prior to the 2020 season, which was canceled due to COVID-19. • Listed by On3 Industry Ranking as a three-star recruit and the No. 41 offensive tackle in the class of 2021. GREG CRIPPEN • C Sr. • Northborough, Mass. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 309 • Played in nine games at center last season, totaling 98 offensive snaps. Tallied a career-high 21 offensive plays in victories over both Nebraska and Michigan State. • Appeared in one game as reserve center versus Colorado State in 2022. • Made six appearances at backup center in 2021, including the Big Ten championship game against Iowa. • Enrolled at U-M in January 2021. • Tabbed as a Sports Illustrated All-America finalist as a senior in 2020 and was selected to the Max- Preps Florida All-State second team that same year. • Ranked as a four-star recruit, the No. 19 interior offensive lineman and No. 265 overall prospect in the class of 2021 by On3 Industry Ranking. NATHAN EFOBI • OG So. • Cumming, Ga. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 285 • Maintained his redshirt and did not see game action his fresh- man season. • Two-time first-team Region 6-7A All-Region selection as a prep. • Voted team captain during senior season at South Forsyth High. • Also played defensive line and lettered in track and field, finishing fourth in the shot put at the 2022 Georgia 7A championship meet with a throw of 52 feet, 8.75 inches. • Part of a team that went to the Region 6 Class 7A state title game during his junior year. • Four-star recruit, No. 117 player and 10th-ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2023 class, ac- cording to On3. GIOVANNI EL-HADI • OG Sr. • Sterling Heights, Mich. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 318 • Saw time in all 15 outings, in- cluding 11 on the offensive line, in 2023. • Played in all 14 games on spe- cial teams and nine contests on the offensive line, making three starts at left guard in 2022. • Appeared in one game at left guard in 2021. • Enrolled early at U-M in January 2021. • Selected for the Under Armour All-American Game and was named to the Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team in both 2019 and 2020. • Pegged as a four-star prospect, the No. 12 of- fensive tackle and No. 95 overall player in the country by the On3 Industry Ranking. ANDREW GENTRY • OT Jr. • Littleton, Colo. Ht.: 6-7 • Wt.: 327 • Played in all 15 clashes in 2023, including on the offensive line in seven. • Appeared in three games dur- ing the 2022 season. • Worked as full-time Spanish-speaking missionary in Oren, Utah, while serving a two-year mission as a member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. • Columbine High went 12-2 during his senior sea- son and made the Class 5A state final. The squad totaled more than 3,500 rushing yards and 51 touchdowns during the 2019 season. He was credited with more than 100 pancake blocks. • 2020 Colorado Golden Helmet Award winner, which goes to state's top player for both on- and off-field achievements. • Selected as a participant in the 2020 Polynesian Bowl. • 2019 MaxPreps All-American. • On3's Industry Ranking rated Gentry a four-star prospect, the No. 63 player in the country and No. 7 offensive tackle in the 2020 class. DOMINICK GIUDICE • OG Sr. • Freehold, N.J. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 305 • Appeared in three contests, in- cluding one on the offensive line, last season. • Played in three games, both on the offensive and defensive lines, during the 2022 season. Switched full-time to offense in midseason. • Appeared in two games in 2021 against Northern Illinois (Sept. 18) and Northwestern (Oct. 23). • First-team All-New Jersey pick by USA Today as a senior. • Tabbed as a three-star prospect and the No. 29 player in New Jersey by On3 Industry Ranking. MYLES HINTON • OT 5th/Sr. • John's Creek, Ga. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 340 • Appeared in 14 clashes with five starts (four at right tackle, one at left tackle) in 2023. • Logged 287 offensive snaps, posting a 72.4 overall PFF grade.