Olu Oluwatimi's “Perfect Match” At Michigan
The center is the general of the offensive line, and in many regards the entirety of the offense.
They call out shifts, blocking adjustments, and have to analyze the opposing defense pre-snap. Without a consistent and solid force at center, otherwise solid lines could crumble. Last year, Andrew Vastardis presided over the line for all 14 games, and led the group to a 2021 Joe Moore Award, and the College Football playoff.
His departure left a gaping hole for Michigan to fill — but that hole was not left open for long.
Enter Olu Oluwatimi.
A graduate transfer from Virginia, Oluwatimi has slotted in perfectly this season. And he was not shocked in the slightest about how well the fit has been with the rest of the line thus far.
“I’m not surprised,” Oluwatimi said. “I knew they were a great group of guys, very talented, good people to be around. I thought my personality and my play would mesh well with theirs.”
Oluwatimi was not sure about transferring after graduating, but he had a school in mind if they would have him.
“Even before I entered the portal, I knew that Michigan was the place I wanted to be based off the scheme, the brand of football they play, and obviously the university,” Oluwatimi said. “So when they reached out to me after I entered the portal, it was like a perfect match.”
But perfect match or not, Oluwatimi came to the Wolverines after transferring with very little knowledge about what he was getting into.
“I didn’t know the offensive line personally,” Oluwatimi said. “Nor did I really know any of the coaches or the staff, just through the recruiting process I learned a little bit about Coach [Sherrone] Moore, and a little bit about Coach [Jim] Harbaugh.”
With this limited knowledge, his hard work, and passion for the game, Oluwatimi quickly made an impact on his peers.
“I found out I was a reserve captain for offense, and it was a great feeling.” Oluwatimi said. “I haven’t been here for too long, but the fact that my teammates thought that high of me, and to get that many votes, it meant a lot.”
Being reserve captain as a first year transfer student is no easy feat, and exemplifies how quickly Oluwatimi has made his presence felt.
And so far this season, he has lived up to those offseason expectations. With the Wolverines flawless through five games, the line is firing on all cylinders. Him and the rest of the offensive line have only allowed quarterback JJ McCarthy to be sacked four times, less than one per game. They have allowed McCarthy ample time to showcase his accuracy, even as Big Ten play began and the caliber of opponent increased.
On top of that, Oluwatimi has played a large role in facilitating the run game. Of course, Blake Corum is Blake Corum, but he still needs a gap to take in order to succeed, and Oluwatimi and the rest of the line have provided those in spades. Corum is averaging 6.2 yards per attempt, and is a Heisman front runner at the moment, and some of that has to be attributed to the Offensive line.
With Oluwatimi, what might have been a team weakness has become one of its biggest strengths. And unlike many outings with the Cavaliers, Oluwatimi’s contributions so far have resulted in team wins.
“I am very happy about my decision,” Oluwatimi said. “And I am very happy about how things unfolded. We’re playing well as a team, and we have a chance to do some really big things as the season progresses.”
Later in the season, the games will only get more meaningful, and the stage will get even bigger. But Oluwatimi is ready for whatever comes.
“I came to Michigan wanting to win,” Oluwatimi said. “We’re on track, just got to keep plowing.”
