The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 89 OFFENSIVE LINE return after a devastating knee injury suffered two years ago. Doctors still haven't cleared him, but he continues to make progress. It's important to have at least one more tackle to provide quality depth, Skene ex- plained, or to push the two men in front of him. "You need to have three really good of- fensive tackles — two starters and one really good backup — and then four guys in the middle," Skene said. "You need seven capable guys pushing each other to start." As of May, redshirt freshman James Hud- son was the Wolverines' third tackle, working primarily on the left side to push Bushell- Beatty. The 6-5, 302-pound youngster admit- ted he was reluctant to make the move from defense at first, but Rivals.com recruiting ana- lyst Josh Helmholdt and others have long said he's got NFL potential on the offensive line. "He's coming around," Warinner said. "He has a high ceiling and a lot of upside. … He's not a starter yet, but a kid that redshirted last year, was a defensive player, and now is in the mix to be in the two-deep and play for us." While injuries might force them to move guys around, Warinner said, they plan to be prepared. That will also give them a number of players who can play several positions. "Steve Spanellis, for one, can play center and guard. He's a smart kid," Warinner said. "[Redshirt freshman] Andrew Stueber can play guard or tackle, and we're doing some of that with him." Redshirt freshman Joel Honigford, too, is continuing to work at multiple positions, and so is redshirt freshman Chuck Filiaga, who at 6-6, 345 pounds is still working to transform his body. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said this spring that Filiaga was "really starting to as- sert himself," welcome news for a line still seeking depth. Redshirt junior Nolan Ulizio is also in the mix, having started five games at right tackle last year before being replaced. "He has the tools to be successful," Skene said of Ulizio. "But he struggled to get com- fortable at right tackle. Hopefully, a new coach gives him a fresh start." Spanellis, Skene noted, is a player he's liked for a while. "That guy's got a great motor," he said. "I like the way he plays. He hustles his butt off out there, and he looks to me like he's not far from being a starter. He would be in the top seven, I don't think there's any question." Though there's plenty still to prove, there's a lot of optimism that this group has grown and will continue to make progress this fall. "We're going to have to be a better offen- sive line this year than we were last year, and we know that," Spanellis said. "I think we're well on the way to doing that." ❏ Grant Newsome Is Running, Jumping … And Hoping Michigan redshirt junior offensive tackle Grant Newsome has remained a leader off the field while rehabbing a traumatic knee injury suffered against Wisconsin in 2016. He's intent on being that guy on the field again, too, and he's made huge strides since nearly losing his leg. The 6-7, 314-pounder went through full conditioning this spring, and though he didn't participate in any contact drills, he's come a long way since last year, when he still had trouble walking long distances. "Now I'm running, jumping, cutting, all that kind of stuff," he said. "It's really remarkable how far we've come. I have a lot of appreciation for the training staff and doctors. … There's still a little more to go, but it's really remarkable how far we've come in just a year. "I'm trying to get stronger and do everything I possibly can to get back on the field ready to go." His doctors remain optimistic that he'll be able to play again, Newsome noted in May, and he's hopeful it will be this fall. If not, he said, he'll take another redshirt and try to come back in 2019. "It's definitely a unique injury, and there's definitely not a set timetable, which is kind of frustrating to me," Newsome admitted. "But considering where we were when we started, we've thoroughly exceeded everyone's expectations." Even recently, the doctors have been impressed and said he was ahead of the timetable they'd set for him to reach his next goal. While he's appreciative to just be able to walk given the horrific nature of the injury, he's also still itch- ing to play football again. "When you have that kind of life event, your perspective changes. You realize how small a part of life football is," he said. "It gives you appreciation for that, but at the same time it's hard to quit it when you're so thoroughly invested." And while he's accepted he might have to wait another year to return, that's not his intention. "That's not the goal. I've been very straight up with the doctors and Coach [Jim] Harbaugh that if I need a medical [hardship scholarship, ending his football career], I need a medical," he said. "But that hasn't been the message from either the coaching staff or the doctors that they feel that's necessary. I'm still very much actively working back to getting back as soon as possible." — Chris Balas Newsome hasn't played since suffering a gruesome knee injury in the fifth game of the 2016 season, but is hopeful to eventually return to the field in Ann Arbor. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN