2023 OL better than 2022?

Just win the damn thing! The National Championship. 

Recognition.. Chemistry.. communication.. and execution.

I don’t know if the 2023 OL will be more effective than the OL of the past two seasons, since Center is critical and Olu was exceptional.   But, I do feel the depth of talent in the position group is where fans have hoped it would be.

Looking forward to the season already.

Go Blue!

Dunno, but they should be very, very good.

Hopefully they don’t lose too many reserves to the portal, having some guys with multiple years in the program will be big for 2024.

Now the only mission left is to convince our QBs it’s safe to climb in the pocket instead of scrambling for life sideways and backwards 

OL is like rowing crew. Individual high-performing contributions are less important than the perfect synchrony of their execution. Weak links are a critical downside leading to failure, but it’s not like plugging in talent necessarily yields improvement.

I just hope everyone goes out there and has fun. 

This article is from Oct. and it would indicate that Michigan is not 'behind' in NIL at all.  With all the players electing to come back rather than declare for the draft, it would seem the NIL program at Michigan is doing what it is intended to do.... Give those athletes choices.  

Certainly other NIL programs can be more geared toward backing a brinks truck up to select players doors, where others might be more focused on generating a pool of funds to benefit a broader group of athletes (which it seems is more what Michigan is being recognized for).   

You can also see where Stroud might feel like coming back, thinking he needs to beat Michigan and get another shot at the National Championship.  

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/highest-paid-college-athletes-in-the-nil-era

Henderson is an upgrade over Hayes and Nugent is a downgrade to Olu but overall we’re getting another year of experience for most of this line and the depth pieces so I’d say it’s very possible. Henderson is also probably a pretty big upgrade over Hayes at a very important position 

You summarized the 2023 prospective OL well.  We can use a great center.  Olu was tremendous.

I am not so sure. Michigan caught lighting in a bottle with the seamless integration of Olu at center.  Can it catch lighting in a bottler three times in a row? 

This isn't to mean that the o-line will be be bad but better? Last year's performance will be a tough act to follow. 

If it can, then it will further clearly cement Moore as the best O-Line coach the school as ever seen.

Here's hoping that the third time is a charm and that Michigan can put it all together to meet Georgia in the CFP final and DESTROY THEM. 

Every piece with the exception of center has the potential to be better, and that is not a knock on Olu's backups, but rather a testament to just how freaking good Olu really was.

Overall I think the line will still be really stinking good next season, possibly better as a whole, but the massive variable is with the center position because he really is the QB of the line. I'm not sure how you beat what Olu brought to the table. Came in and fit like a glove immediately. No transition costs, zip, zilch, nada. Really stinking smart, picked everything up immediately, instant leader and the guy you want running things in the locker room. Easily the best center in college football and possibly a late first round pick or very early second round pick. He was the absolute best case scenario for Michigan on the OL. 

Doesn't mean whoever takes his place won't be really good, but I do think that particular position will take a step back. Maybe just a small one, but still a step back. The hope is that the other four spots are just as good, if not better, so it will offset whatever we might lose with Olu moving on. I think we can definitely expect that with Zinter and Keegan, probably as well with whoever takes the RT spot. Maybe the same with LT if Henderson can slide in somewhat seamlessly, but it'll be fascinating to see 

I think that the most calming part of this discussion is whether the O-Line will be in contention again as the best in college football in 23, and if the back-ups would constitute a starting O-line at other schools vs. years back stating - we have 2 or 3 good players and ??? and likely problems everywhere else. 

Whether the multiple back-ups are worthy successors to a Rimington award winning to include the best Olineman from Stanford are all good problems to have.

The two most pivotal positions are up in the air. I'm confident guys come out of those competitions looking great but not quite ready to declare it a better line. 

If Harbaugh doesn’t want to coach this group in favor of a NFL franchise that’s on the ropes . . .

It would be interesting if UM truly platooned the OL for 2-3 quarters and had a fresh 1st string every Q4 and, more importantly, throughout the season.

Most coaches believe 1) that DLs attrit and OLs strengthen as a game progresses and 2) OLs get more in-synch as they play more downs. Those diminish the appeal for platooning, but most coaches thought the same concept of RBs until 20 yrs ago.

Harbaugh is one of very few coaches who would/could find a way to make it happen with an OL. 

Gonna be tough after losing one of the best centers to ever wear the winged helmet. As great as Olu was, he was underrated. If it wasn't for Olu, Blake doesn't have the season he had. If it wasn't for Olu, Donovan Edwards doesn't have the season he had. Go look at Edwards' two long TD runs in The Game. It was Olu who opened up the holes that Edwards ran through.

Olu is a legend so I do not want to say it will be better. It will however be elite. 

Keegan and Zinter, while excellent, will continue to improve. If the winner of the Nugent, Crippen, or Anderson battle can approach or surpass the Vastardis threshold then 2021 interior is the "floor". I think it is safe to say defensive tackles and Linebackers are in for a bad time. 

Between the two tackle spots we have Henderson, Barnhart, Jones, and Hinton with starter experience. We also have Persi, El Hadi, Bounds, and Gentry as dark horses to earn a starting spot. 

Should be fun to watch.

OL will probably take the smallest of steps back in 2023, simply because Olu was a generational college C. That's not to say the O-Line won't be Moore award-worthy. I could see that again. But 2022 will go down as Michigan's best OL maybe ever. 

Since others are talking about the offense, once again it has the potential to be the most prolific offense in modern Michigan history. Superior OL, superior RBs -- with one that should be catching 3-4 balls a game or more as well, JJ with a very high ceiling who will hopefully improve, a solid WR room, especially with CJ returning. 

Defense had some departures, but really the only major issue looks to be a CB opposite WJ. DL should stay solid -- we'll find EDGE production, simply because we always seem to -- and LBs look to be improved next season. WJ will lock down one side. Finding that other CB will be key to this team's success next season.

Olu was a MONSTER. That said, probably.