The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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70 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY JOHN BORTON T hey say coming to Michigan in- volves measuring oneself against the best. Blake Frazier can attest, wholeheartedly. Michigan's projected starting left tackle, a 6-6, 295-pound junior out of Austin, Texas, enrolled at U-M early prior to his freshman season in 2024. The son of former Michigan offensive line- man Steve Frazier — part of the 1997 na- tional championship crew — came ready to take on whatever charged at him. His welcome to the Wolverines' of- fensive line arrived in the form of a 6-4, 315-pound, two-time All-America de- fensive tackle. Mason Graham doesn't play around — just ask Cleveland Browns opponents these days. In the spring of 2024, a rookie blocker didn't stand much of a chance, but saw his future chances enhanced mightily by taking on a stal- wart from the 2023 national champs. "Mason's one of the best players I've ever played against," Frazier acknowl- edged. "I came in as an early enrollee, un- dersized. He threw me around, for sure. But working against him on scout team, made me better. Those are the guys you want to compete against — the best." Frazier will be staring down some of the Big Ten's — and the nation's — best this season, along with the rest of the Wolverines. Oklahoma, Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State — all are regarded as potential College Football Playoff teams. Throw in Iowa and Penn State, and it looks like a potential murderer's row. But the Wol- verines are planning a little mayhem of their own, under new head coach Kyle Whittingham and the staff he largely brought east out of Utah. If the Wolverines are going to be com- petitive in that sort of arena, it has to start up front on both lines. New of- fensive line coach Jim Harding has im- pressed many, including Frazier, to the point that they see an offensive front that will grow together throughout and be a force for Michigan. "The day you come out thinking you can't be a dominant line means you're not going to be," Frazier asserted. "I ab- solutely believe this line can be the best line in college football this year. I think we have everything we need, and we have six guys who have started in a game here, at least. I think we can dominate." If they do, and if the weapons he sees all around him are as legitimate as they appear, Frazier is ready for a season that could give his father some flashbacks. The younger Frazier isn't looking for a long break-in period for Whittingham, offensive coordinator Jason Beck, defen- sive coordinator Jay Hill and Harding. "I want to win," Frazier asserted. "That's why I'm here. That's why I came back. I'm just excited to see how good this team can be. The new staff is unbe- lievable. The players we've got here are everything we need. I'm itching to get to the season." A Natural Michigan Man Steve Frazier put no pressure on his son to attend the school he eventually chose, Blake noted. Instead, Steve and wife Kim focused on raising a strong-minded son capable of making good decisions. "My dad is my best friend," Blake Fra- zier noted. "I love that guy so much. He's done an unbelievable job. He hasn't really been — despite what some people think — a football coach to me. We'll watch film together once in a while, and he'll give me stats after games. But he's done a really good job of being more of a life coach for me. He just thinks about things in the right way and makes sure I'm not being a stupid college kid when it comes to certain situations. "He grounds me. My mom as well. They make a great team, making sure I do the right things and I'm in the right spot." That said, the winged helmet made an indelible impression on Blake at a very early age. "My best experience was the first game I ever went to with my dad at The Big House," Frazier said. "I don't remem- ber how old I was, but it was against San Diego State. It was just an unbelievable experience. I got to meet a bunch of my dad's old teammates, and put a face to the names I had grown up hearing about. I still talk to them — Glen Steele, Steve Hutchinson, Charles Woodson, Rob Swett, Ben Mast. I could go on and on. "Those are guys I actually get to talk to pretty consistently, which is unbeliev- able. I don't think I understood how great some of those guys truly were. To me, they were my dad's friends. The fact that my dad thought they were cool, I thought they were cool." Growing up in Texas, Frazier became a part of the phenomenon of prep foot- ball in the Lone Star State. Friday Night Lights, massive stadiums for high school ball, and the passion for the game held by so many remains overwhelming. While the young Frazier embraced ev- ery bit of it, he wasn't awed to the point that he couldn't leave when it came time to do so. "Texas high school football did me a O-LINE LEGACY Blake Frazier Is Following In The Footsteps Of His Father, Steve, An All-American At Michigan Frazier started eight games at left tackle in 2025 for a Michigan unit that was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation's top offensive line. PHOTO BY TY KORNBLUE