Michigan’s offensive line went through trials and tribulations last fall while trying to adjust to changes at quarterbacks and injuries up and down the front five.
The latter meant more opportunities for younger players, such as true freshman Zak Zinter, who earned snaps in all six games. But when right tackle Jalen Mayfield went down due to injury, forcing the Wolverines to move veteran Andrew Stueber over to his natural position, Zinter was plugged in to start at guard.
“Huge,” Zinter said Thursday to describe the opportunity. “That experience is something you can’t really create, other than playing in a game itself. The experience was incredible. I think I’ve come a very long way from a year ago when I stepped on campus as an early enrollee.”
Now, a year later, the 6-foot-6, 334-pound Zinter is in the mix for a permanent role along the offensive line. He’s taking snaps at right guard again this spring — this time with a new offensive line coach, Sherrone Moore — and figures to be in the playing rotation, at the very least, this fall. Stueber is back at right tackle, while Michigan returns its starters at left tackle (Ryan Hayes), left guard (Chuck Filiaga) and center (Andrew Vastardis).
Mayfield has opted to move on — relinquishing his remaining college eligibility to declare for the NFL draft, where he figures to be a first or second-round pick — but had complimentary things to say about Zinter on his way out.
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“I think he has such a high ceiling,” Mayfield said last Wednesday, March 24, before Michigan’s pro day. “He’s a very versatile, very strong kid. He’s very athletic as well. I think he’s going to be a big part of what they have next year.”
Helping matters, Zinter says he’s healthy again, too. He suffered a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his thumb last November in practice leading up to the Penn State game. He fought through it, attempting to play, but had to come out after the first snap because he was in so much pain. The North Andover, Mass., had surgery to repair the tear this offseason, and it’s “100 percent healed now,” Zinter said.
“And I’m feeling great,” he said. “It’s ready to go. It’s not affecting me at all for spring.”
His teammates have seemingly confirmed that. Last month, when asked about the young up-and-coming linemen, Stueber immediately referenced Zinter as someone’s who stood out.
“He’s definitely someone in the mix at O-line,” Stueber said. “The way he can drive somebody off the ball — (and) come off the ball — is really impressive. And his understanding of the offense for a second-year guy is incredibly impressive.”
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Whether Zinter wins the job remains unclear. Michigan also landed graduate transfer Willie Allen, an all-Conference USA honorable mention tackle at Louisiana Tech. But Allen’s 6-foot-6, 343-pound frame suggests a move inside to guard wouldn’t be out of the question.
Whatever Michigan’s coaching staff decides, Zinter believes he’s ready to shoulder the responsibility of an every-game starter. He was able to get his feet wet last season and watch how those older, more experienced players around him operated.
“We were very young last year, so now that we’ve had a few games to jell together — we’ve had this spring practice to start working with each other — we’ve got high expectations for ourselves and the offensive line,” Zinter said. “Being able to get spring — like we didn’t last year — has just been able to let us jell and get comfortable playing next to each other again.”
Read more on Michigan football:
Jalen Mayfield slides in new NFL mock draft from ESPN
Recruiting report: The battle for 5-star DT Walter Nolen
Ex-Michigan assistant Mike Zordich joins staff at Central Michigan
Michigan loses commitment from 2022 four-star safety
WR Giles Jackson plans to transfer from U-M
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