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Thursday, June 23, 2016
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTS
After season-ending injury,
Glasgow ready to make return
By ORION SANG
Summer Managing Sports Editor
Ryan Glasgow remembers the
exact moment he tore his pectoral
muscle.
The fifth-year senior defensive
tackle was chasing down Rutgers
quarterback Chris Laviano when
his hand got stuck in Laviano’s
helmet.
The quarterback went one way,
Glasgow went the other and he
heard a pop. He knew instantly
his season was over, and his
absence from the starting lineup
clearly had a negative effect on
the Michigan defense.
Up until that point, the most
rushing
yards
the Wolverines
had given up
all
year
was
144. But in the
game following
Glasgow’s
injury,
Michigan gave
up 307 rushing yards to Indiana
before getting gouged by Ohio
State’s rushing attack two weeks
later for 369 yards in the final
game of the regular season.
Fast forward seven months
and Glasgow is raring to go with
his shoulder almost back to 100
percent.
“(My) strength is back already,
which I’m really happy with
(considering) it’s only been seven
months,” Glasgow said Saturday.
“Conditioning is
fine, everything
is
going
well
right
now.
...
There
might
be some rust in
technique
but
I’d be healthy
enough to go.”
Dealing with
the injury was
difficult
for
Glasgow as he
had to sit on the sidelines and
watch as his team played without
him. But he found company
in
former
defensive
end
Mario
Ojemudia, who
was Glasgow’s
roommate and
close friend.
Ojemudia
had sustained a
torn achilles tendon earlier in the
season against Maryland, keeping
him out for the rest of the year.
For Glasgow, that meant he had
someone whose situation he could
relate to.
“You work all year to play
these games with your friends
and teammates,” Glasgow said.
“(When) it gets taken away from
you instantly it makes you realize
how great the game of football is
when you can’t play.
“Being
out
on the field is
amazing.
I’ve
definitely taken
it for granted
before
and
I
never will ever
again now. The
injury definitely
sobers you up
to the fact that
football
does
have
an
end
date, which is unfortunate, but
really makes you appreciate the
game.”
Now, Glasgow is ready to hit the
field with the rest of the defensive
line — a defensive line that returns
six key contributors and also adds
the nation’s top-ranked recruit in
freshman Rashan Gary.
Glasgow
is
aware
of
the
expectations
surrounding
the
defensive line but believes it’s
simply a matter of letting their
play do the talking.
“We just want to show it on the
field,” Glasgow said. “You don’t
see any of us tweeting about it or
posting on Instagram saying we
want to be the best. Last year we
just went out and showed it on the
field every game, and we want to
have a similar approach this year.”
Drevno looks for
progress from line
By ORION SANG
Summer Managing Sports Editor
In its final game of the 2015
season, the Michigan football team
faced a Florida team that boasted
one of the top defenses in the nation.
But the Gators were no match for
the Wolverines, who piled on 225
rushing yards and 278 passing yards
for a total of 503 en route to a 41-7
victory.
All in all, it was a banner day for
the Michigan offense. Now, offensive
coordinator Tim Drevno looks to
carry that momentum forward into
the next season — especially with
his offensive line, which is among
the most experienced in the nation
with a combined 105 starts.
“They’re a year older so once
they’re comfortable with me they
understand
what
I’m
teaching
and
what I expect
from
them,”
Drevno
said
Saturday
after
the
A4
quarterback
camp. “You give
them a little bit
more. But really nothing’s changed
the way I’m going to coach them.
I’m going to demand (a lot) from
them, and (they have to) understand
the importance of how (good) we’ve
got to be on the offensive line for
the team’s success. But it is nicer
that they’ve had a lot of games
underneath their belt and they’ve
played in big venues.”
The Wolverines lost only one
starter from last year’s line in former
center Graham Glasgow, who was
taken in the third round of the NFL
Draft by the Detroit Lions.
But Michigan didn’t have to look
too far for Glasgow’s replacement
— junior Mason Cole moved from
left tackle, where he started all 25
games the past two seasons and
was awarded All-Big Ten Honorable
Mention in 2015, to center during
spring practice.
The move appears to have
stuck as Drevno — who is also the
offensive line coach — believes that
Cole’s transition has been seamless
thus far.
“Mason’s
a
very
intelligent
person,” Drevno said. “He’s got
unbelievable football awareness.
He’s done a really good job in there.
I believe you put your best player at
center. He’s making all the calls, and
he’s got to be athletic and a quick
thinker on his feet.
“(Cole’s)
getting
comfortable
every day (after) doing it through
spring ball. He’s progressing really
nicely, (and) he’s a good football
player.”
Sliding
into
Cole’s
spot
at
left tackle is sophomore Grant
Newsome, who made appearances
in four games as a true freshman.
“Grant Newsome (has) done a
nice job,” Drevno said. “We felt in
the middle of (last) year that he
could (come in and) do it, and we feel
good about his progress right now.
“One thing with young offensive
linemen is just the strength of their
body. He’s done
a good job of
(improving) that
this
offseason.
Like
with
anyone,
there’s
a
progression
with
those
young offensive
linemen,
so
we give him a
different ‘medicine prescription’,
just (what) we felt (could) help him
progress.”
Though Drevno says the starting
line is currently set with Newsome
at left tackle and the four returning
starters — Cole and fifth-year
seniors Erik Magnuson, Ben Braden
and Kyle Kalis — he didn’t rule out
the possibility of any of Michigan’s
three incoming freshman offensive
lineman earning playing time.
“I see Michael Onwenu as a
guard, I see Ben Bredeson as a guard
or center (and) Stephen (Spanellis) is
probably a right tackle to start off,”
Drevno said. “All of them have a
skillset and characteristic you look
for, and that’s why they’re here at
MIchigan. We’re excited to get them
on campus. It’ll be like a New Year’s
Day and when training camp starts
it’ll be like Christmas Day.
“All three of those guys, they’re
going to have the opportunity to
come in here and compete for a
starting job. Everyday you want to
come out and be the best, and those
other guys in the room understand
that.”
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Ryan Glasgow tore his pectoral muscle against Rutgers last year and missed the final three games of the season.
FOOTBALL
Michigan
returns four of
five starters.
Glasgow had an
important role
in Michigan’s
run defense.
“My strength is
back already.”