Michigan Football: Wolverines Need Experienced Offensive Line to Step Up in 2015

The Michigan Wolverines return five experienced players on the offensive line, but Jim Harbaugh and his coaching staff need the big blockers to step up in 2015.

Mason Cole, Ben Braden, Graham Glasgow, Kyle Kalis and Erik Magnuson—who combined for 47 starts last season—each return to a unit that was slightly above average. The running game tallied 4.6 yards per carry, good enough for 49th nationally and up 66 spots from the dismal year prior.

However, according to Football Outsiders, Michigan managed 2.73 yards in standard-down situations, ranking 94th in the country. Setting the tone on first down will be a key focus, especially under Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Tim Drevno.

The Wolverines' new coaching staff is the biggest reason expectations must be raised for the offensive line. Good coaches expedite development, and Michigan's NFL-caliber coaches bring even more knowledge to the practice facility.

Now, it's not like the linemen have magically become marionettes that Harbaugh and Drevno can manipulate mid-play. The pressure remains on the players to heed the advice and translate it to their on-field performance.

But here's the thing: Thanks to spending countless hours involved with the team, focused college players improve from year to year.

For example, Cole broke into the starting lineup as a freshman. The 6'5", 287-pound sophomore left tackle is heralded as the program's next great lineman, and with or without the new staff, he'd be closer to attaining that status in 2015 than 2014. It's that simple.

Yet it certainly doesn't hurt to have what Michigan boasts on the sideline.

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Drevno—who doubles as the line coach—has worked under Harbaugh for 10 of the last 11 years. During Drevno's three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, the team's rushing offense finished No. 8, No. 4 and No. 3 in the league. That followed three straight top-20 campaigns at Stanford.

If Drevno was a part of tremendously successful offensive lines in both the NFL and college, there's no reason Michigan's players won't be taught the proper tools to dominate.

And that, per MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner, is Harbaugh's ultimate goal for the offensive line anyway.

"I'd like it to be dominant," Harbaugh said.

Barring injury, Cole shouldn't leave his post at left tackle. While the rest of the offensive line isn't locked into certain positions quite yet, Michigan should have a solid idea of how the first-team spots will shake out.

Glasgow is the most versatile player, considering he can occupy any interior position. The senior logged 24 starts over the last two seasons. Consequent to Jack Miller's abrupt retirement, though, Glasgow will likely take over at center.

Kalis, Braden and Magnuson should each earn a No. 1 role, but at which position remains a small question. Kalis could play either guard spot, while Braden—the right tackle in 2014—was moved inside, opening a place for Magnuson at right tackle.

On media day, in a video captured by Isaiah Hole of 247Sports, Drevno called the starting five "a work in progress."

The reserve did take a notable hit recently. According to Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press, Chris Fox elected to retire following a couple of injury-riddled seasons. Fox only appeared in one game while in Ann Arbor, but perhaps Drevno could've utilized that 4-star talent.

Nevertheless, Logan Tuley-Tillman, David Dawson, Patrick Kugler and Juwann Bushell-Beatty provide much-needed depth at tackle, guard, center and tackle, respectively.

Michigan enters fall camp with five clear starters and four others competing for playing time, all under one of college football's best run-focused coaching tandems. The blockers will do the dirty work so Derrick Green, Ty Isaac, De'Veon Smith and Drake Johnson (when healthy) can receive the glory.

It's up to Drevno and his experienced linemen to provide the running backs with that space on a more consistent basis than a year ago.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.