After losing two in a row, Michigan was hopeful it could use the bye week to get healthy. In fact, Kyle Whittingham had said on Monday that if Michigan had to play last Saturday, there would’ve been a few offensive linemen who might’ve missed the game.
And on Wednesday, that would seem apparent by looking at the Wolverines’ availability report ahead of the showdown against Penn State.
There were six total offensive linemen listed as either OUT, Questionable, or Probable entering Week 7 against the Nittany Lions.
Michigan’s initial availability
OUT
- WR Brayden Alford
- RB Micah Ka’apana
- DE Julius Holly
- OL Ace Hamilton
- OL Andrew Sprague
Doubtful
- WR Kendrick Bell
Questionable
- DE Dom Nichols
- LB Aisea Moa
- OL Jake Guarnera
- OL Andrew Babalola
- OL Brady Norton
- DE John Henry Daley
Probable
- WR Andrew Marsh
- OL Nathan Efobi
Major O-line concern
There is certainly a lot ot unpack from the initial availability report, and while we wouldn’t expect anything to worsen — there is always a chance. We knew that Sprague was going to miss several weeks. He hasn’t played since Week 2 and Kyle Whittingham said his injury is perplexing.
But what we didn’t know was that Michigan would have four of the six offensive linemen who have started games listed on the availability. The only two starters who aren’t listed are tackles Blake Frazier and Evan Link.
Being listed as probable, there should be no concern that Efobi plays this weekend. But seeing both Brady Norton and Jake Guarnera as ‘Questionable’ signals some concern. The only bright spot in the availability for the offensive line is that Babalola has been listed as ‘Questionable’ instead of ‘OUT’.
With the injuries piling up, Michigan could certainly use Babalola to get fully healthy. Even if he doesn’t earn a starting nod, Babalola could be the sixth lineman and bring massive talent to the table.
Edge rushers remain Questionable
Both John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols remain ‘Questionable’ for the third week in a row. Nichols barely played against Minnesota, but Daley continues to play a large role. Hopefully, a week’s break gave Nichols enough time to get ready for the Nittany Lions.
However, the good thing for Michigan is that the Wolverines’ edge rusher depth is really strong. Freshman Tariq Boney has come out of nowhere and has become one of the Wolverines’ best pass rushers on the team. Nate Marshall has been steady, and that duo has bumped veteran Cam Brandt down to third string — while mixing inside.
Getting Nichols back is important, but the Wolverines need to have at least one of the two on Saturday.
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