Michigan kicks off the 2026 college football season against Western Michigan on Sept. 5. We’re all eagerly awaiting to see how the team looks when quarterback Bryce Underwood gets on the field to start his sophomore season. While Underwood and the offense flashed in some games last year, they also had their fair share of struggles as well.
But there’s good news, as a bulk of Michigan’s offensive line is back and should be significantly improved. That, alone, should help the offense a ton in 2026.
Redshirt sophomore left tackle Blake Frazier was recently on In The Trenches and shared what the unit is trying to improving before the season. He and his fellow linemen are working on building up that physical strength so they are better equipped to handle opposing defensive lines. While the group improved over the year, more maturation and work in the weight room this offseason should make a positive difference.
That maturity is going to be huge for Underwood as well. Having a little more time to read the defense should help him set his feet before making a play. This is one area the spring game just doesn’t give us a good look at specific improvements. The offensive line is all scrambled up and Underwood was not playing with the guys he’s learning to trust to protect him. Having the starting five guys in front of him should help elevate Underwood’s game this fall.
Along with that, Jake Guarnera is moving to center. While there were high hopes for Greg Crippen, he didn’t end up performing up to the level we expected. Now in 2026, we’re hearing about Guarnera’s confidence in getting the offensive line set well ahead of the season. In that same podcast interview, Frazier said Guarnera’s knowledge of the game is helping the line play more in sync. The head ball coach also had positive things to say about him.
“Yeah, he’s the center,” Whittingham told the media in April. “He’s had a terrific spring and really, probably the leader of that offensive line is Jake.”
Having a reliable, cerebral player like Guarnera in the middle of the offense should elevate every player’s game in some capacity, including the four other offensive linemen on the field.
Having guys with experience back in the starting lineup like Frazier, Guarnera and right tackle Andrew Sprague, as well as other guys with experience that are battling for a starting spot like Evan Link, Nathan Efobi and Brady Norton, should inspire great competition during fall camp and get the five best guys on the field come September. All of that should improve the entire offense this fall.
How do you think the improvement on the offensive line will lift up the overall offense, if at all? Let us know in the comments section down below!
