Michigan's offensive line sees intense battles at left tackle, right guard for 2025 season

USA Today

07-08-2025

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- There are very few unsettled positions for Michigan football entering 2025. Yes, there is a quarterback competition, but with Mikey Keene, the Fresno State transfer, unable to practice during spring ball, the odds-on favorite is Bryce Underwood. At running back, Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall are essentially co-starters. The same can be said of the six-man rotation at defensive tackle. Safety is a little more unclear with a number of bodies there, but there should still be a lot of players rotating in and out at that position.
That leaves two offensive line positions as the only ones that are really being truly contested, especially considering the goal is to not have rotations at left tackle and right guard.
Evan Link, who started at right tackle for most of 2024 before moving to the left for the ReliaQuest Bowl is considered a tentative favorite, but he's reportedly being pushed by true freshman Andrew Babalola. Offensive line coach Grant Newsome weighed in on the position battle and noted there's a third name also vying for the position.
"We always like to think of it as a true meritocracy. Until the first game, until we get out there, every job is up for grabs. That competition is healthy," Newsome said. "Left tackle — Link's been there, played well in the bowl game, and he's done a great job of elevating his play. We really challenged him to take that next step, to go from a guy who's feeling his way through his first season, getting used to it, to go be the tackle he's capable of being. I've been really impressed with the steps he's taken this offseason to do that. He's having a really good camp.
"Andrew Babalola is competing there as well. Blake Frazier has gotten himself back healthy, and he's done a remarkable job—for a guy who was out for spring—of getting himself back in the mix there. I want to brag on my guys for a little, if you'll let me. We are much deeper than we were last year, and it's a credit to those guys and the investment they made in themselves, not just individually, but getting closer and tighter as a unit. We feel like we're not just going to be better, but deeper than we were a year ago."
Link may not have a stranglehold on the position, but he's certainly the clear favorite given his experience. Right guard might be a little more contested, as the spring starter, Nathan Efobi, has not had the time on task.
He's being pushed by multiple players who have gotten their opportunities elsewhere. Brady Norton has been in Ann Arbor since winter after starting his career at Cal Poly. Lawrence Hattar joined this summer after being at Ferris State for the bulk of his career. And then there's Jake Guarnera, who is expected to be the backup center behind Greg Crippen, but is cross-training at right guard.
The position is a little more murky because there is little experience that has been in a winged helmet, but that also means that the Wolverines are rife with options.
"At right guard, we've really had four guys mixing in there," Newsome said. "Nate Efobi has done a great job of making that next step from where he was last year to being a guy who's put himself in the mix to be the guy. Lawrence Hattar, who transferred in from Ferris State, has been in the mix. We've also been working Jake Guarnera there, as well as Brady Norton. So, another good competition.
"It's a credit to those guys where it's not a feeling of, oh shoot, we're going to have to play one of these guys eventually. It's more, hey, we feel like all four of these guys are playing well enough that we can win. Who's going to be the best one? I feel like it's the same way at left tackle. Like I said, Link's elevated his game tremendously. At the same time, to have two younger guys who are still able to push him and make him better every single day has been awesome. No different than just having those bodies -- to even push a guy like Andrew Sprague at right tackle.
"It brings out the best in everyone when you have that competition in the room. The cool thing has been — again, a credit to those guys, how close they've gotten -- that you can have those competitions without it being malicious or nefarious. They all genuinely want what's best for one another."
Fans will get the opportunity to see the new-look offensive line on August 30 when the Wolverines host New Mexico for the 2025 season opener at The Big House.