The center and right tackle positions are wide open for Michigan, as Dominick Giudice and Evan Link emerge as realistic options alongside Greg Crippen and Andrew Gentry:
As the Michigan Wolverines gear up for the regular season opener, it’s still unclear who will start at center and right tackle against the Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday. The competitions have remained tightly contested throughout fall camp and Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome detailed the latest developments at both positions.
The center competition is seemingly between Greg Crippen and Dominick Giudice, while the right tackle race will come down to Andrew Gentry or Evan Link. Crippen and Gentry were the projected starters for most of the offseason but Giudice and Link have reportedly performed well in fall camp and are serious threats to start against Fresno State.
“We feel really good about multiple guys at the center and right tackle positions. We feel like we truthfully have three guys at each of those positions that we can win a lot of games with,” Newsome explained. “I’m excited to see how it continues to play out and I know the guys we trot out there on Saturday are going to do a really good job.”
Giudice arrived at Michigan as an edge rusher and appeared in several games on the defensive line early in his career before officially transitioning to the offensive line last year. Even though he doesn’t have an extensive background playing on the offensive line, Giudice adjusted to the position change and has become a realistic option at center.
Newsome went on to discuss how Giudice has looked playing center in fall camp:
“We recruited him as an edge rusher so he’s taken to the offensive line really quickly in general and to center as well,” Newsome said. “It’s as critical a position as there is in football. He’s done a really good job putting himself in the mix and he’s one of the three guys at center that we feel like we can go out and win another national championship with.”
Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito reflected on Giudice’s transition to the offensive line:
“I don’t think it’s easy but guys do it. The hard thing about center is you’re snapping the ball every play but the good thing about center is you have help on both sides,” Esposito said. “He’s tough and is going to give you everything he has. At the end of the day, when you have guys that are willing to do that, you can mold and coach them however you want.”
The Wolverines were tasked with replacing all five starters on the offensive line from last season but center and right tackle seem to be the only positions still up for grabs with the season just days away. It appears left tackle Myles Hinton, left guard Josh Priebe and right guard Giovanni El-Hadi are slated to start at their respective positions.
With the addition of Newsome as the new offensive line coach, the Wolverines should continue to produce one of the best offensive line units in the country. Newsome’s first-hand experience playing offensive tackle at Michigan gives him a unique perspective to help evaluate and eventually determine who will emerge as the starting center and right tackle.