Jon Jansen Sees Ed Warinner As Unsung Hero Of Michigan's Offense

Over the past several months, Wolverine Digest has stressed how Michigan's quest to replace four offensive line starters might dictate the offense's success as a whole this fall.

While that remains true, several blockers are rotating in with the ones, and U-M is closer now to solidifying its five-player starting unit than it has been before. Further compounding that report, former Michigan lineman Jon Jansen, who hosts Michigan Football: Inside the Trenches podcast and is a new host of 97.1 with Mike Stone, believes the OL will once again be a strength of the team in 2020.

"They're four guys that have been in the program," Jansen told Wolverine Digest. "Jalen Mayfield doesn't fall into that category, but you put him at one tackle spot. Ryan Hayes, who will be a new starter, but he did gain some experience last year when Jon Runyan was injured. He got some starts at the beginning of the year and worked in throughout the year to get some reps. Andrew Vastardis is a guy that is a fifth-year guy, and if he's going to get the start at center you've got some veteran players up there who have seen things done for so long that now that it's their time. They know that the clock is ticking. They are going to go out there and capitalize on every opportunity they have, and some upperclassmen who have a drive to go out there and perform. I think you are set up for a better outcome or a better line than you would anticipate having to replace four starters."

It might seem on the surface as if offensive line coach Ed Warinner will need to work some magic this season with so many newer faces up front, but that is not necessarily an unreasonable expectation to have. Warinner sent four Wolverines to the NFL in the most recent draft, and that is not by accident according to Jansen.

"One, he's a good Xs and Os coach," Jansen said. "Those guys know exactly what they're supposed to do. There's no guess work. They go out there, and they know what they're supposed to do. When they're actually performing it, he's really good at teaching the techniques and bringing it down to the footwork, the head placement, the hand placement and how they execute what they're supposed to do. So, you put that classroom together along with someone who's a good technician and you see improved offensive line play."

Helping to bring Michigan's blockers up to speed in the film room, Warinner has made his mark by sending out an OL unit that works cohesively in both practices and games. That is a product of the attention to detail that Warinner delivers and how he's able to break down specific concepts to college players in a digestible fashion.

"A lot of people know the words to say and they know the guys, but when it comes down to actually seeing it in action they struggle in making correction," Jansen said. "Coach Warinner I think does a good job of not letting those little things slide. He's watching a player, he's watching a drill, and when they players come back its, 'why did you step like that? You can't step like that if you want to be able to help out your tackle.'

"He has a lot of experience coaching offensive line," Jansen said. "You're not so focused on where the ball is going or where the hole is, but you're watching all of the little things so when they come back you can tell by the steps that a guy took or where his head placement is on if the play what successful or not. You don't actually have to see the entire play, so he's focused on making sure those guys executed at practice so they get comfortable in that environment it should be second nature when they get in game time."

The offensive line in 2020 might be Warinner's greatest challenge so far at Michigan, but it is a unit that is full of players who have been in the system for a while. Mayfield will clearly be looked upon to anchor the group, but Hayes has chipped in effectively in the past and will be pivotal in the coming season as well. And based by Jansen's assessment, Coach Warinner will be a paramount asset in preparing other Wolverines to fill the other three positions up front.

How quickly do you think it will take Michigan's OL to gel this season? Will the group be in mid-season form before taking on Wisconsin in Week 4? Let us know!