Michigan’s offensive line is entering a pivotal phase as the program’s newest line coach, Jim Harding, takes the reins after a lackluster 2024 season. Harding, who previously coached at Utah and grew up in northern Ohio, brings nearly two decades of experience to a unit that struggled to find cohesion last year.
Fall camp will be a laboratory of movement, with Harding planning to test multiple combinations to identify the five best linemen for the upcoming campaign. The approach emphasizes versatility, allowing players to shift between tackle, guard and center depending on the needs of the offense.
Among the returnees, Evan Link, who opened the previous season at tackle, has already moved to guard and is viewed as a long‑term candidate for the starting five. Brady Norton, who arrived from Cal Poly primarily as a tackle, has also seen snaps at guard, adding depth to the interior.
Andrew Sprague, the only lineman to start every game at right tackle last year and an All‑Big Ten honorable mention, appears locked into that position and is expected to vocalize more in the room, helping to build chemistry among the group.
Versatility as the New Standard
Blake Frazier, another tackle, is being considered for a shift to guard, though the experiment has yet to be tried, while Jake Guarnera is already settled at center, providing a steady anchor. Injuries linger, notably with Andrew Babalola still nursing a knee issue from last fall camp, but his presence keeps the competition alive.
Harding emphasizes chemistry and leadership as key metrics, aiming to have the starting unit locked in by early September, roughly two weeks before the season opener. If the experiments coalesce into a cohesive unit, the Wolverines’ offensive line could once again become a hallmark of Michigan football.