Michigan OL reveals surprising reason for early run-blocking struggles

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Michigan football offensive line was supposed to be one of the team's strengths, but through three weeks, it's been a work in progress.

The expectation was that the run blocking would be exemplary and that the pass protection would likely suffice. However, it's been the reverse of that, with the run blocking struggling and the pass protection grading out very well (according to PFF).

With Iowa coming to town, Wolverines guard Brady Norton says that the line, in particular, can't afford the same mistakes it's made throughout the young year.

"We've got to keep straining," Norton said. "We're playing a really good defense this week, so we got to make sure that the offense plays together. (Be better on) penalties -- and the offensive line had a few penalties, with holding and false starts. So we're gonna make sure we clean that up and obviously just being physical, going back to that original mindset of being a Michigan offensive line."

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Norton wouldn't comment on the line as a whole but just what he knows he needs to improve upon. He was rather harsh on himself both vs. the run and the pass, sharing what he needs to get better at if the maize and blue are going to remain undefeated.

"I can't say as a full offensive line. I can obviously give myself, because I'm really critical of myself," Norton said. "Obviously, guys have different jobs and are better at different things, but critiquing myself, I definitely think I can do a little bit better in my pass protection. Run blocking-wise, obviously, I got a couple of times my hands are caught outside and my chest exposed, so I make sure to get my hands inside, but I can't comment on it, I guess."

Beyond his own personal issues in-game, Norton says that the players along the offensive front aren't playing fast, because they're playing too much in their own heads.

Norton notes that the benefit of coming to Michigan means that you're smart. But there's a detriment: smart people tend to overthink things. And football players aren't immune to that.

"I think our coach brings it up. At the University of Michigan, we're all really smart guys. It's a really smart university," Norton said. "Our biggest problems are we overthink things. We don't just go out there and play. We're on the line, we're thinking of our point, we're thinking of our feet, and mostly emphasized after the first game, our coach is like, just go out there and play. Go out there and have some fun.

"Our coach made us think of too many little indicators that stopped us from playing fast. We definitely emphasize on playing a lot faster, obviously being more physical, and not overthinking things too much."

Norton certainly believes that there has been a lot of overthinking plaguing the offense thus far. Thus, now they're looking to just go out and play, rather than being too much in their own heads.

"For the slow start, again, for the offensive line, I think it was overthinking things," Norton said. "And we kind of came in, and we game plan for so long, we were overthinking a defense a little too much instead of just going out there and playing against Oklahoma , who is one of the top defenses in the nation. Our emphasis going into that game was, let's just go out and play. And we went out and played, and I think we ran almost 150 yards on them. So that was kind of the emphasis going, just go out and play.

"Can't overthink things, obviously make your calls, but just go out and play."

Michigan and Iowa are set to kick off at 3:36 p.m. at The Big House, with the game set to be nationally televised on CBS.