New senior assistant offensive line coach Juan Castillo broke down what each member of the group is working towards improving on this summer, and what makes five-star Andrew Babalola a “special” player:
Michigan’s offensive line is a work in progress. Not because the talent isn’t there, but because the standard in Ann Arbor is set to compete for Joe Moore awards.
New senior assistant offensive line coach Juan Castillo knows it, and he’s not here to settle for anything less.
Castillo, who returned to Michigan this offseason after stops in both the NFL and at UCLA, joined the In the Trenches podcast this week to break down what’s happening behind the scenes this summer in the Wolverines’ offensive line room. And if there was one name that stood out from the conversation, it was freshman Andrew Babalola.
“Andrew is a special kid in that he’s very self-motivated,” Castillo said. “He wants to be good. He expects himself to be good. He’s the kind of kid that does all the extra work.
“To me, offensive line play is about doing the extra work. That’s how you become special. If you just do what everybody else does, you’re not going to be that kind of offensive guy. And it’s nice for the people to know that Andrew’s that kind of guy that does the extra work, that pushes himself. That’s a tough kid, that’s a smart kid. It’s important to him.”
That same mentality, Castillo explained, is what sets top linemen apart — a mentality Babalola clearly has.
“He cares about it, cares about being a good player, but most important is sacrifice and discipline,” Castillo said. “He’s willing to sacrifice, and he’s got the discipline to be able to do that.”
Beyond Babalola, Castillo also provided some insight into the broader developmental goals for Michigan’s offensive line this offseason. Veteran center Greg Crippen, who started games for the first time last year, is also locked in on some of the technical aspects he needs to work on.
Castillo described how Crippen is working every day on sleds outside the facility, simulating game situations.
“I think with Greg, the important thing with him is just to let him know what he needed to work on,” Castillo said. “Right now we’re working the point of attack, and you see him out there working on the two sleds. There’s a Crowther sled and there’s a one-man sled, and what he’s doing is he’s got to really work point of attack — meaning a head-up nose or a shade nose.”
Redshirt freshman right tackle Andrew Sprague, who impressed in Michigan’s bowl win over Alabama, also drew some praise from Castillo. At 6-foot-8, Sprague is learning to bend and stay square — critical fundamentals for a player of his size — and Castillo said Sprague is fully bought in.
“The nice thing about Andrew — I luckily have had the opportunity to coach some really tall kids, kids that are 6-7, 6-8, and that’s what Andrew is,” Castillo said. “And really, he’s still a young kid. He’s a young kid, so he’s still learning those things. I think the key with him is you see him doing the extra work. He’s also willing to sacrifice. He also has the discipline, so I think fans are going to be happy with his play because of the individual that he is.”
Castillo also spoke about the importance of developing versatility across the offensive line, a trait especially valuable as Michigan continues to sort out its depth and long-term starters. That process often includes getting young linemen comfortable playing on both sides, something Castillo is actively working on with redshirt sophomore Evan Link and true freshman Ty Haywood.
“There’s some things that you talk about technique-wise or how you line up in your stance,” Castillo said. “But really, what I found out — and I try to mention this to Evan — it’s just about repetition. We’re doing that with Ty (Haywood) right now. He was used to playing on the left side. Now, it’s about doing those same techniques on the right, over and over again, until it becomes natural.”
According to Castillo, the adjustment can be awkward at first, even for high-level recruits, but the solution is simple — more reps.
“The thing we stress is patience,” he said. “It doesn’t happen overnight. But if they buy into the process and stay consistent, it clicks. And once it clicks, that versatility becomes a real asset for them and for the team.”
Castillo also noted the group is showing signs of leadership and cohesion. Despite only being a couple weeks into summer workouts, players are already organizing their own training sessions and spending time together outside of official meetings — a good sign for a unit looking to bounce back after an up-and-down 2024 season.
“Now it’s about consistency,” Castillo said. “Consistency in technique, in fundamentals. Because they’re willing to do the work.”