About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan football has had a bit of a makeshift offensive line for much of the season, with Evan Link having missed some time early and Andrew Sprague having been out since Week 3. But one expected contributor this year is drawing closer to potentially getting into the lineup.
Second-year tackle Andrew Babalola missed all of last year after tearing his ACL in fall camp, and then had a bit of a setback in fall camp this year. But last week, Babalola started practicing, and he dressed for a game for the first time in his Michigan career outside of the 2025 spring game. And head coach Kyle Whittingham said on Monday that he's inching closer to being able to actually get into the game.
"We hope so. That gives us a little more flexibility," Whittingham said. "And he, although he was available, was not quite ready, in our opinion, to jump in yet. He's only had that week of practice. But getting that week of practice under his belt was big. And going forward, we're going to try to start integrating him in whatever is the best situation."
Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton three-star S Kacey Allen Jr. (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Michigan EDGE commit Recarder Kitchen (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Michigan RB commit Lundon Hampton (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Grand Haven (Mich.) St. John's Jesuit QB Reid Berry (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) River Rouge (Mich.) three-star WR Jeremiah Cross (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton three-star S Kacey Allen Jr. (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Bloomfield Hills (Mich.) three-star S Mason Hitchcock (NIU commit) (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Louisville (Ky.) Christian Academy five-star DL Kellan Hall (No. 1 player in 2028 recruiting class) (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Portage (Mich.) Central four-star ATH Camden Noe (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Franklin (Mich.) Detroit Country Day WR Gavin Shaw (son of David Shaw) (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Waxhaw (N.C.) Marvin Ridge four-star QB Levi Kerr (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Fort Wayne (Ind.) North Side three-star ATH Maalik Moore (Cincinnati commit) (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Michigan OL commit Jakari Lipsey (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) Michigan WR commit Quentin Burrell (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 1 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton three-star S Kacey Allen Jr. (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 1 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton three-star S Kacey Allen Jr. (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 2 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Michigan EDGE commit Recarder Kitchen (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 3 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Michigan RB commit Lundon Hampton (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 4 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Grand Haven (Mich.) St. John's Jesuit QB Reid Berry (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 5 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game River Rouge (Mich.) three-star WR Jeremiah Cross (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 6 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton three-star S Kacey Allen Jr. (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 7 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Bloomfield Hills (Mich.) three-star S Mason Hitchcock (NIU commit) (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 8 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Louisville (Ky.) Christian Academy five-star DL Kellan Hall (No. 1 player in 2028 recruiting class) (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 9 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Portage (Mich.) Central four-star ATH Camden Noe (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 10 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Franklin (Mich.) Detroit Country Day WR Gavin Shaw (son of David Shaw) (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 11 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Waxhaw (N.C.) Marvin Ridge four-star QB Levi Kerr (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 12 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Fort Wayne (Ind.) North Side three-star ATH Maalik Moore (Cincinnati commit) (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 13 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Michigan OL commit Jakari Lipsey (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) 14 / 14 Photos: Top Michigan recruits visit for Penn State game Michigan WR commit Quentin Burrell (Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire) If he does come in, where would he play? After all, Evan Link has been playing left tackle, though he's supposed to be at left guard. Or could he come in as the 'rhino' or sixth lineman?
Whittingham says he's best at left tackle, so if he is deployed, it's likely that they keep Blake Frazier at right tackle and move Link back inside.
"Left tackle is where he really feels most comfortable. And so we'll see," Whittingham said. "Jim Harding is obviously going to make that call. And we'll see what direction that goes. But yeah, we're down a few linemen to get him back and available. And he's going to be big for us."
We'll see if Babalola will be available on Saturday, when Michigan football hosts Indiana at The Big House. The game is set for noon EDT, and the game will be broadcast on Fox.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Kyle Whittingham provides encouraging Andrew Babalola injury update
Source: Sports
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