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Michigan OL reveals surprising reason for early run-blocking struggles
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- Michigan OL reveals surprising reason for early run-blocking struggles
ANN ARBOR, Mich. --The Michigan football offensive line was supposed to be one of the team's strengths, but through three weeks, it's been a work in progress.
The expectation was the run blocking would be exemplary and the pass protection would likely suffice. However, it has been the reverse: The run blocking struggled and the pass protection graded out very well (according to PFF).
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With Iowa coming to town, Wolverines guard Brady Norton said the line, in particular, can't afford to repeat the same mistakes.
"We've got to keep straining," Norton said. "We're playing a really good defense this week, so we got to make sure that the offense plays together. (Be better on) penalties -- and the offensive line had a few penalties, with holding and false starts. So we're gonna make sure we clean that up and obviously just being physical, going back to that original mindset of being a Michigan offensive line."
So why has the line struggled?
Norton wouldn't comment on the line as a whole only what he knows he needs to improve upon. He was rather harsh on himself against both the run and the pass. He shared what he needs to get better at if the maize and blue are going to remain undefeated.
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"I can't say as a full offensive line. I can obviously give myself, because I'm really critical of myself," Norton said. "Obviously, guys have different jobs and are better at different things, but critiquing myself, I definitely think I can do a little bit better in my pass protection. Run blocking-wise, obviously, I got a couple of times my hands are caught outside and my chest exposed, so I make sure to get my hands inside, but I can't comment on it, I guess."
Beyond his personal issues in games, Norton said the players along the offensive front aren't playing fast because they're playing too much in their heads.
Norton noted the benefit of coming to Michigan means you're smart. But there's a detriment: Smart people tend to overthink things. And football players aren't immune to that.
"Our coach brings it up. At the University of Michigan, we're all really smart guys. It's a really smart university," Norton said. "Our biggest problems are we overthink things. We don't just go out there and play. We're on the line, we're thinking of our point, we're thinking of our feet, and mostly emphasized after the first game, our coach is like, just go out there and play. Go out there and have some fun.
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"Our coach made us think of too many little indicators that stopped us from playing fast. We definitely emphasize on playing a lot faster, obviously being more physical, and not overthinking things too much."
Norton certainly believes overthinking has plagued the offense thus far. Now, they're looking to just go out and play.
"For the slow start, again, for the offensive line, I think it was overthinking things," Norton said. "And we kind of came in, and we game plan for so long, we were overthinking a defense a little too much instead of just going out there and playing against Oklahoma , who is one of the top defenses in the nation. Our emphasis going into that game was, let's just go out and play. And we went out and played, and I think we ran almost 150 yards on them. So that was kind of the emphasis going, just go out and play.
"Can't overthink things, obviously make your calls, but just go out and play."
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Michigan and Iowa are set to kick off at 3:36 p.m. at The Big House. The game is scheduled to be nationally televised on CBS.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan OL reveals surprising reason for early run-blocking struggles
