Andrew Vastardis and Ryan Hayes are starters per Warinner
In his latest tweet. 5th year senior walk on interior OL Andrew Vastardis and junior OT Ryan Hayes.
https://twitter.com/4warinner/status/1305910682609541121?s=21
September 15th, 2020 at 1:25 PM ^
Excited to see what they can do in a month. There are two real good backs they'll be blocking for.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:26 PM ^
We have 3 quality backs. Because of his 1 year absence, people forget about Chris Evans. I fully expect Evans to be in the mix with Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins.
I'm most excited to see the defense finally play again. Our DL was missing some beef in 2019. It has improved.
September 15th, 2020 at 2:09 PM ^
He was hit and miss in 2018. He really was passed over by Higdon and even Wilson seemed to be getting an equal amount of carries as Evans by season's end.
I hope he can be at the level he has already shown that he is able to be at. One of the issues I think was when he put on the weight to be an every down back, and lost the quick burst he had as a freshman. Evans was never top line a speedster, but he got to peak speed faster than any back we've had in a while.
If we can get a good 3rd down and pass catching back out of him, I think we should all be happy.
September 15th, 2020 at 6:43 PM ^
I'm a little higher on Evans. He could still end up in a limited role if Charbonnet, Haskins and/or Corum really take off but Evans will be good option on any down.
He still was a pretty useful player in 2018 and IIRC he was fighting through an injury.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:03 AM ^
Evans will be great in under Gattis. I expect him much more as a slot receiver and changeup back and Haskins and Charbonnet getting the bulk of 1st and 2nd down carries.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:31 PM ^
It sure seems like the coaches are gearing up for a season.
September 15th, 2020 at 2:21 PM ^
Flipping through radio stations yesterday and Bill Simonson had a reporter call in (didn't catch his name) saying that UM had a full pad practice. They're planning to play.
September 15th, 2020 at 2:27 PM ^
I think the ND/Duke game shamed the B1G into having a season.
You can't sit on the sidelines while the team on the other side of the state line is playing. We'll keep losing more than just Rocco Spindler.
September 15th, 2020 at 3:34 PM ^
If the Big Ten's leadership is that simple-minded (feeling "shame") I'd be very disappointed.
September 15th, 2020 at 5:50 PM ^
Yeah, dude, that's the big takeaway here. It's not about health. It's about recruiting.
Man.
September 16th, 2020 at 8:07 AM ^
oh blow it out your ass. . .
you talk about health? What about the health issues that have arisen as a result of the quarantine? Medical procedures delayed, suicides, impacts on mental health? The deleterious effects on the economy?
those issues far outweigh a nation where 85% of the positive covid tests are asymptomatic.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:32 PM ^
Vastardis is a bit of a surprise and Hayes makes sense. LT and LG set then?
Leaves RT (Barnhart?), RG (Stueber?), and C (Carpenter?) it seems.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:38 PM ^
I’m pretty sure Vastardis is a center
September 15th, 2020 at 1:41 PM ^
L to R: Hayes, Filiaga, Vastardis, Stueber, Barnhart
September 15th, 2020 at 1:54 PM ^
Vastardis at C confused me because of all we heard about Carpenter. Your other comment about Carpenter being out makes this more sensical
September 15th, 2020 at 2:02 PM ^
Carpenter being injured clearly had an effect on the competition, but I'm not sure Vastardis would have lost the job even if Carpenter was healthy.
Vastardis is a talented player in his own right who has looked quite good on the field so far, in admittedly limited action. It was always going to be difficult for a redshirt freshman like Carpenter to unseat Vastardis.
September 15th, 2020 at 2:18 PM ^
Vastardis has always been in the conversation to start at center. I thought he was the favorite with Carpenter having a chance to overtake him
It's natural to downplay talk of walkons moving up the depth chart. It happens here every time, but a little more often than not it's been proven to be true.
September 15th, 2020 at 2:18 PM ^
This was a weird kind of double post accompanied by a site error notification
September 15th, 2020 at 2:45 PM ^
Ive heard so many good things about Barnhart..... he that good?
September 15th, 2020 at 3:37 PM ^
He's said to be a jumbo athlete. Where Rumler and Carpenter are mostly big brutes (NTTAWT), Barnhart is a lighter (well, 270/280), more athletic guy (capable of dunking a basketball) that bulked up. More of a perimeter player ...
September 15th, 2020 at 2:50 PM ^
Filiaga is the only surprise for me.
With this OL, i REALLY have to think DM is going to be the QB. Milton will get slaughtered IMO.
September 15th, 2020 at 5:09 PM ^
That's a good point. If the QB competition is even, the tie breaker might be the QB who has more pocket awareness and mobility, given the inexperience of the line.
September 15th, 2020 at 8:39 PM ^
That should sort itself out pretty quickly.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:40 PM ^
Carpenter has been out at center, so Vastardis has been the guy there for a while.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:41 PM ^
I would say currently. No way you lock that in a month out when Harbaugh preaches competition. Both players received recognition for 1 day of practice, which ended with those two on the first OLine in the depth chart.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:41 PM ^
Vastardis is the only player I “know” on the team. Talked to him about 10 times over his 5 years here. Good for him and couldn’t happen to a nicer big Dude. Hope he gets to see the field and impresses all of us with his abilities.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:42 PM ^
I had heard Vastardis being mentioned as a strong C for some time, so that's not as big of a surprise. Good to see Hayes cementing his spot as well.
September 15th, 2020 at 1:50 PM ^
If Warinner is tweeting starters, I'm inclined to believe that football is not far away...
September 15th, 2020 at 2:12 PM ^
Running game should be fine, more concerned in pass protection.
September 15th, 2020 at 5:54 PM ^
Believe that is typically the issue, run blocking is easy to pick-up and pass protection comes later. Not great news for our starting QB. I would tell both QB's that it is highly likely you will both play (and start) this season.
September 15th, 2020 at 2:25 PM ^
If the season starts backup this year vs the original expected spring season, is there any chance Mayfield and Thomas come back or are they gone regardless? I know there are some players like Ja'Marr Chase who are opting out but is rated high regardless of playing or not. Just curious as I would love to see Thomas come back.
September 15th, 2020 at 3:50 PM ^
They have agents and are gone.
September 15th, 2020 at 5:34 PM ^
I remember last season when Ruiz got hurt early during a drive in the second quarter of the MSU game and Vastardis took over at center. It was the 90+ yard drive that ended in a TD that broke open the 7-7 tie. I was worried when the injury happened as Ruiz was the anchor of our line and the most talented. Obviously there were 3 other draftees (+ upcoming draftee Mayfield) around Vastardis on the line for the remainder of the drive, but he played really well and was able to help us in the most pivotal possession of the game. Ever since then, I haven't had any doubts that if we needed him as a starter, he'd be able to step up and do the job. I'm excited to see that both he and Hayes are starters!
September 15th, 2020 at 8:06 PM ^
September 15th, 2020 at 5:51 PM ^
Does anyone know if this is the youngest ( lack of starts) OL we have ever started a season with?
No tune up games either, right into the fire!
September 16th, 2020 at 2:18 AM ^
We knew Hayes was going to start and pretty much knew Vastardis would when Carpenter got hurt.
Im assuming week 1 will look like:
Hayes/Chuck/AV/Steuber/Barnhart