Run the damn ball. Coming into the game, Indiana was ranked #91 in rushing defense. And it was raining. So naturally, Michigan decided to come out throwing, with four pass plays and two rushes in the first six plays. Two of those pass plays resulted in sacks, and one was a drop by Colston Loveland. Meanwhile, the two carries by Corum averaged 4.5 yards per rush. Michigan wasn’t necessarily going to obliterate Indiana on the ground with huge runs, but they could have just taken over the game physically instead of trying to throw in those conditions.
Name: Karsen Barnhart Height: 6’5″ Weight: 316 lbs. High school: Paw Paw (MI) Paw Paw Position: Offensive tackle Class: Redshirt senior Jersey number: #52 Last year: I ranked Barnhart #26 and said he would be a backup offensive lineman (LINK). He started nine games. TTB Rating: 86
Through four seasons at Michigan, Barnhart has been the Jack-of-all-Trades-iest lineman on Michigan’s roster. He has started at left tackle (5 games), left guard (2), and right tackle (8) over the past three seasons, and he has played in relief duty in thirteen games. He even started as the holder on the field goal unit and served as an usher in section 31R at Michigan Stadium.
So it’s no surprise that he’s guaranteed a starting position in year five.
Or is he?
PLOT TWIST.
Jim Harbaugh loves competition, so he brought in former Stanford starter Myles Hinton and former Arizona State starter La’Darius Henderson to a team brimming with talent already. Now Barnhart is in a battle with Hinton, Henderson, and fellow fifth year senior Trente Jones to start at tackle. Word has been that Henderson will be the likely starter at left tackle, leaving the other three to vie for the role on the right side. I’m giving the starting nod to Barnhart, who has more overall starts (15) than Jones (8). Barnhart seems to be the steadier player, while Jones has some impressive blocks but then some ugly whiffs. Barnhart has also put on about seven pounds since last year, so perhaps that will help him move people a little better.
Name: Karsen Barnhart Height: 6’5″ Weight: 308 lbs. High school: Paw Paw (MI) Paw Paw Position: Offensive tackle Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #52 Last year: I ranked Barnhart #24a and said he would be the starting right tackle (LINK). He started two games at left guard. TTB Rating: 86
For the second year in a row, Barnhart served as Michigan’s extra lineman. He’s a utility man who can start at either tackle or either guard spot. When he was a redshirt freshman in 2020, he got a bunch of playing time on a bad offensive line. Last year he played left guard when Trevor Keegan couldn’t go, but he also was a backup tackle in blowouts. Barnhart has not really left an indelible mark as a beast of a player just waiting to break out of his cage, but he has been solid and has a good athletic profile to be “next.”
Last year’s pure blocking tight end, sixth lineman Trente Jones, is likely to start at right tackle now that Andrew Stueber has moved on to the NFL. I will be curious to see if Barnhart takes on Jones’s role as a blocking tight end, or if the staff will simply let the tight ends handle the tight end role, since the tight end room is so stacked with talent. Regardless of whether Barnhart is a blocking tight end or just the backup at guard/tackle, he’s going to play a lot. And when 2023 rolls around, he will probably have a starting role somewhere along the line.
Name: Karsen Barnhart Height: 6’4″ Weight: 307 lbs. High school: Paw Paw (MI) Paw Paw Position: Offensive tackle Class: Redshirt sophomore Jersey number: #52 Last year: I ranked Barnhart #36 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He started four games at left tackle. TTB Rating: 86
Barnhart was a high school tight end and basketball player who figured to need a few years to develop his body and technique before he was ready to play a major role in college. After redshirting in 2019, he was slated to be a backup in 2020. That idea went out the window when injuries felled three-fifths of the starting line, giving Barnhart a chance to start four games at left tackle. Despite not being ready, he held his own at times but struggled to get much of a push because of a lack of bulk and strength.
It remains to be seen how the line will be staffed in 2021. Some projections have Barnhart replacing Jalen Mayfield at right tackle, while others have Barnhart on the outside looking in. Michigan’s early starting line in fall practice has been (from left to right) Ryan Hayes, Trevor Keegan, Andrew Vastardis, Zak Zinter, and Andrew Stueber. I can’t really see Vastardis spending an entire season as the starting center – at least not if Michigan wants to be good – so I’m expecting someone else to slip into the starting five, and that person is Barnhart.
Note: Yes, I’m continuing with the countdown even though it looks like the season will be canceled/postponed. I don’t like to leave things unfinished. Also, I already went to the trouble of making the dang list.
Name: Karsen Barnhart Height: 6’4″ Weight: 301 lbs. High school: Paw Paw (MI) Paw Paw Position: Offensive tackle Class: Freshman Jersey number: #52 Last year: I ranked Barnhart #91 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in two games and redshirted TTB Rating: 86
Barnhart was a high school tight end transitioning to the offensive line in college. With three seniors and another guy who was good enough to leave for the NFL after his junior year, a redshirt was inevitable. And that’s exactly what happened, though he did play against Middle Tennessee and Rutgers in mop-up duty.
Practice did result in quite a bit of practice buzz for Barnhart, though. He was one of two true freshmen to get people excited, along with Zach Carpenter.
This year Barnhart is probably looking at a backup role, but he should be the #6 or #7 lineman. Last year it was Ryan Hayes, who filled in when Jon Runyan, Jr. was hurt. In the 2020 season, it will probably be Barnhart or Joel Honigford. Barnhart has the athleticism to play tackle even though he might be a little short at 6’4″. Either way, it appears that Barnhart is putting himself in line for a starting role when an upperclassman moves on to the next level.
