ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Entering the 2023 season, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh had said that his intention was to keep what he called ‘the Michigan method’ going this year as it had last. That’s a reference to how he handled the quarterback situation in 2022, when he started Cade McNamara in Week 1, J.J. McCarthy in Week 2, and decided on a starter after that.
The expectation was that multiple positions, particularly on offense, would be subject to that method of deduction in 2023: both offensive line tackle spots, perhaps center, and also for the backup quarterback position. However, we’ve seen no changes from Week 1 to Week 2 in the starting five offensive line, only a rotation at backup quarterback.
Jim Harbaugh said on Monday he’s happy with how left tackle Karsen Barnhart and right tackle Myles Hinton have performed through two weeks.
“Karsen’s kind of really done a great job, Myles Hinton’s done a good job at right tackle,” Harbaugh said. “The one we’re still evaluating is the backup quarterback and we made a mistake. Coach Hart put in Davis Warren ahead of Denegal. This week you’ll see, it’ll be J.J. and if we go to a backup quarterback, it’ll be Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji. So, want to get all those guys looked at in game action. Hopefully in this next game, but if not, I’ll have to carry it to the next one.”
Does that mean the starting five is set? Somewhat, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore conceded.
For the moment, the starting five on the offensive line is as we’ve seen: tackles Barnhart and Hinton, guards Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter, and center Drake Nugent. But Moore says that no one’s job is written in cement, it’s etched in sand.
“Yeah, like we always say that the depth chart flows,” Moore said. “So, guys don’t practice or play well, that next week then that can change. But for right now we have our starting five.”
For Moore, the way he looks at it is he has an embarrassment of riches in the room. If you want to be a starter, then you have to play the best. Certainly, the expectation going into the season was that LaDarius Henderson, a transfer from Arizona State, was slated to be the starting left tackle while Barnhart was anticipated to be in a battle for the right tackle position. The best five just turned out to work differently.
“Yeah, just there always is. It depends on how you perform,” Moore said. “Like I told these guys whenever I take over the line that first that first day in camp, I them him I don’t care who starts because I love you all the same. The five guys that practice the best and play the best will be the starters.
“So want to put out the five best guys that are gonna help the University of Michigan football team win. And that’s all it is. It’s not an emotional decision. It’s based on film. So whoever those people are, that’s who I want to be. Those five guys have shown to be the best five so we’ll just continue to work and see who the best five is this week and the next week in the next weeks.”
Fans will get to see the same five as the past two weeks as well as quarterbacks Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji — if all goes to plan — on Saturday night when Michigan football kicks off against Bowling Green. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.