ANN ARBOR, Mich. — With his status for Saturday’s opener in question, Zak Zinter did start up front for Michigan.
But one play after the sophomore guard — tabbed a starter by head coach Jim Harbaugh and the coaching staff during the offseason — lined up on the far right side as a sixth offensive lineman, sporting a cast on his right hand, he came out of the game.
It was part of an on-again, off-again substitution pattern that continued during Michigan’s 47-14 win over Western Michigan, aimed to limit the number of snaps for the injured Zinter.
“Zinter was able to play today, and be a factor in the game,” Harbaugh said after the game. But he declined to go into detail about Zinter’s injury, instead suggesting that the workload would increase as the season continued.
“I think each week, (he’ll get) more and more and more.”
Zinter was a focal point of the offensive line talk this offseason, with his four starts last season as a true freshman and offseason development impressing Michigan’s coaching staff so much that they considered reshuffling the offensive line to play him at center. It remains unclear if they actually will, but Saturday allowed Zinter the opportunity to test that injured right hand in game action.
More: Against Western Michigan, Michigan football finds its confidence again
He returned later in the game, spotted playing his natural right-guard position during a second-quarter drive. As long as there’s no post-game setback (and there was no indication there was), expect Michigan to play Zinter more next week against Washington.
Senior Chuck Filiaga got the start at right guard and impressed, according to Harbaugh.
“Chuck did tremendous,” Harbaugh said. “Of all our players, nobody’s done more than Chuck when it comes to offseason, his preparation (and) the kind of training camp that he had. He’s really been A-plus. I thought the offensive line played really good — really good — together.”
PENALTIES: If there’s one knock against Michigan in the win on Saturday, it was for penalties. The Wolverines were flagged a total of five times for 48 yards, two more than Western Michigan.
The biggest one of them all, a taunting penalty against linebacker David Ojabo, gave the Broncos new life on their game-opening drive that resulted in a touchdown.
More: WR Ronnie Bell to undergo MRI tonight; Jim Harbaugh ‘worried’
“We had two really good first (drive) plays, and then just a dumb penalty,” senior edge rusher and co-captain Aidan Hutchinson told reporters after. “Like, we can’t be doing that. I don’t know what that did — that must have rattled us a little bit, that penalty. We were playing really well off the start — then that penalty and they scored.
“We’ve got to work on that, for sure. No dumb penalties and we’ll be fine.”
Of course, Michigan will likely take issue with the questionable pass-interference penalty against receiver Ronnie Bell that negated his incredible one-handed catch down the sideline.
OTHER NOTES: Saturday’s victory was win No. 50 for Jim Harbaugh, whose career head-coaching record at Michigan improves to 50-22 (.694). Harbaugh remains seventh on Michigan’s all-time winners list, but moves just a game back from Chalmers “Bump” Elliott.
… For all the talk about ticket sales, Michigan announced a sell-out crowd of 109,295. Not all of the Michigan Stadium bleachers were full (there were empty rows in the student section), but the turnout was good to see.
Read more on Michigan football:
Ex-Michigan QB Ren Hefley breaks FCS single-game passing TD record
Washington, U-M’s next opponent, stunned by Montana in opener
QB J.J. McCarthy gets creative on first TD pass: ‘I’m not gonna coach that out of him’
Overheard outside the locker room: Impressive win, but focus quickly shifts to Washington
Stock report: Daxton Hill, running backs shine in win vs. Broncos
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