Protecting Bryce Underwood is the Catalyst for Michigan's Joe Moore Award Hunt

Blake Frazier identifies why protecting Bryce Underwood is the primary catalyst for Michigan's hunt to reclaim the Joe Moore Award standard under Jim Harding.

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It's the dead period of collegiate football, but once July 1 hits, Michigan will re-enter Schembechler Hall and the Wolverines are going to hit the ground running during summer conditioning. And one Michigan player has an idea of what the Wolverines are going to do well.

While passing the ball wasn't the strength of Michigan last season with a true freshman gunslinger at quarterback, the Wolverines were able to pave their way on the ground. Michigan was the second-best team in the Big Ten last year, rushing for over 210 yards per game.

Appearing on 'In The Trenches, ' starting offensive lineman Blake Frazier suggested the Wolverines will be able to run the football efficiently once again. Michigan lost two starting linemen from a year ago, but with Jim Harding entering as the position coach, along with returning talent, Frazier is confident Michigan is going to be able to run the ball — while doing a better job of protecting Bryce Underwood.

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Underwood saw pressure too many times a year ago, but the line is looking to not only open up holes for the running backs, but also protect their signal caller.

"We're going to be able to run the ball," said Frazier. "That's the thing that we know for sure right now. Our focus has been pass protection and straining for those five, six, seven seconds that we got to give Bryce if we need to. 

"So we know we're going to be able to run the ball. We know that we can rush for as many as we need to, but at the end of the day in this league, you have to be able to throw the football. And that was something that we've struggled with as long as I've been here. So that's been our big focus is maintaining the pocket for Bryce."

The ultimate goal for the O-line

Michigan made headlines back in 2022 as the first-ever offensive line to win the Joe Moore Award in consecutive seasons. The Wolverines won the award in 2021 and then followed it up in 2022, being the best offensive line in college football.

The goal for this year? Get back to form. With Frazier, Jake Guarnera, and Andrew Sprague all returning — being cemented starters — the Wolverines have the foundation to win the award. Michigan has experience to go along with those players, too. Evan Link, Nathan Efobi, and Brady Norton have all started and knows what it takes to play Big Ten football.

Hading and Co. are working on running the best five linemen out there come opening week, but Frazier noted that getting back to that level is what the goal is for 2026.

"The Joe Moore Award is the ultimate goal," said Frazier. "When you play offensive line, that is your end all, be all. And we talk about it all the time: We absolutely have the potential to do it, but we have to stay consistent."

In the two seasons that Michigan won the award, the Wolverines saw themselves in the College Football Playoff. If the Wolverines can have a Joe Moore Award-winning line, that would mean everything came together and Michigan could be sitting in the 12-team Playoff.