The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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O F F E N S I V E L I N E M E N THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 75 cerns about linebacker "run-throughs" and other failures taking place later in the season. It's up to the coaches and the veterans to ensure it doesn't happen again, and they've all taken steps to that end. Moore brought in former Michigan analyst Juan Castillo, a 40-year veteran of collegiate and NFL games, for the same position, and he's been Newsome's right-hand man. "Juan is the best," El-Hadi said this spring. "He's here all days. He's training us, or we're watching film with him. He's with us all the time." El-Hadi and fellow grad student Greg Crippen are the two he's leaning on to lead the room, and both need to elevate their games in 2025. El-Hadi earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors but had higher expectations last year as someone who had played a lot. He'll move back to left guard after starting 13 games on the right side a year ago. He feels more comfortable on the left side. Crippen lost the starting center job to converted defensive lineman Dom Giu- dice in fall camp, but he finished the last two-thirds of the season as No. 1 and is the heavy favorite to start this year. "We have a little bit younger of a group, but then we do have two older guys who played a lot of football, Greg Crippen and Gio," Newsome said. "… Gio's played over 1,000 snaps of college football. You go back and look at our games in 2022, and he started multiple games that year. "I've been happy and encouraged to see those two take on that leadership." Improvement up front starts with those two in particular, former Michigan All-American and NFL lineman Jon Jan- sen, now U-M's color commentator for radio broadcasts, added. "Last year, I did expect more from Gio," he admitted. "It was his time to take over after having been that guy that would go in for [guards] Zak Zinter or Trevor Keegan, and you felt like they never missed a beat with him in the game. You felt like he wanted to be in there … that he was competing to be in there. "Then, when it was his job, he seemed a little tentative up front. Some of that was moving from left to right, going through the mental gymnastics of mov- ing everything over and coming out of a different stance. I saw a little more from him this spring, though, and I think he's going to be just fine." Crippen has stayed the course and continued to transform his body, expect- ing to be 10 pounds heavier with added muscle. He's appeared in 27 career games at center with eight starts and was one of the offensive MVPs in a 13-10 win at Ohio State, playing one of his best games of his career. "He was consistently able to set an an- chor in the spring. I think he'll be good," Jansen said. "He's put in a ton of work, and I couldn't be a bigger cheerleader than for Crip. He's a guy who waited his turn. It didn't go exactly how he wanted it, but he has put in as much time, at least, as anybody else. "He's been in the weight room and re- ally taken his nutrition to another level. I think he'll have his best year. He's a guy you need as a leader out there with the experience he has. He's just going to get guys in the right place and make the right calls." Depth Will Be Key They veterans need capable bodies behind them, though, and there are op- tions. Sophomore Jake Guarnera has added good weight and played a lot at center this spring, showing great improvement. He's up to 317 pounds and continues to battle for reps with Cal Poly transfer Brady Norton. Norton, meanwhile, isn't just working in the middle. He's also seen time at left tackle and guard spots in search of his best position after earning FCS Football Central Freshman All-America honors last year, starting 11 of 15 games. "That's going to take a little time, but he's a guy that I could envision being able to step in at any of those five positions," STARTERS ★★★ ★★★ ½ There's talent here and some experience, but a few of the veterans underachieved last year, and those with the highest ceilings are the least experienced. Grad students Greg Crippen [center] and Giovanni El-Hadi [left guard] have played a lot of football and need to be better than they were last year. Junior Evan Link could move inside to guard after starting at right tackle last year, and sopho- more right tackle Andrew Sprague has a high ceiling, but who's the left tackle? That's the biggest question mark. DEPTH ★★★ ★★★ There are plenty of bodies, but none of them are proven. True freshman Andrew Babalola improved this spring and has a real shot to start at left tackle. Junior Nathan Efobi has made strides, but they'll need sev- eral players to develop in fall camp. OVERALL ★★★ ★★★ ½ This is a big year for line coach Grant New- some, and he'll get help from analyst Juan Castillo. The standard was set from 2021 to 2023, and the offense relies on the guys up front. It will go as they go. There's talent here, but it's up to the coaches to get the best out of it. PRESEASON ANALYSIS QUICK FACTS Position Coach: Grant Newsome (2nd sea- son as offensive line coach, 8th overall at U-M) Returning Starters: Giovanni El-Hadi (16 career starts), Evan Link (11), Greg Crippen (8), Andrew Sprague (1) Departing Starters: Myles Hinton (15), Josh Priebe (13), Dominick Guidice (5) Projected New Starter: Nathan Efobi Top Reserves: Andrew Babalola, Brady Nor- ton, Lawrence Hattar, Jake Guarnera Newcomers: Babalola, Avery Gach, Ty Hay- wood, Kayden Strayhorn Moved In: Hattar, Norton Moved Out: Giudice, Raheem Anderson, Tristan Bounds, Andrew Gentry, Jeffrey Persi Rookie Impact: Babalola Most Improved Player: Sprague Best Pro Prospect: El-Hadi OFFENSIVE LINEMEN 50 Luke Hamilton (6-5, 315), So. 51 Greg Crippen (6-4, 309), Gr. 53 Jake Guarnera (6-4, 317), So. 54 Andrew Sprague (6-8, 305), So. 55 Nathan Efobi (6-3, 307), Jr. 58 Giovanni El-Hadi (6-5, 310), Gr. 60 Brooks Bahr (6-5, 319), Jr. 65 Andrew Babalola (6-6, 300), Fr. 70 Brady Norton (6-3, 275), Jr. 71 Evan Link (6-6, 328), Jr. 73 Ben Roebuck (6-7, 305), So. 74 Avery Gach (6-5, 287), Fr. 75 Kaden Strayhorn (6-2, 299), Fr. 76 Connor Jones (6-6, 320), Sr. 77 Blake Frazier (6-6, 285), So. — Lawrence Hattar (6-5, 335), Gr. — Ty Haywood (6-5, 285), Fr.