Kornacki: Cole Now in Center of Action
8/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 16, 2016
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Mason Cole has experienced a change of scenery and will be looking into the teeth of a defense rather than its flanks. The rugged University of Michigan junior offensive lineman has moved from left tackle to center, bringing heft and smarts to his new vantage point.
"Mason's a very, very sharp young man," said Wolverines offensive coordinator and line coach Tim Drevno. "He can direct traffic really well, and he's got very good football instincts and awareness. He fixes something, and you never see the problem occur again.
"You want a guy who can really think quickly on his feet -- especially at the center position -- making all the calls, it's just as important as the quarterback in controlling all the traffic."
Cole, 6-5 and 305 pounds, is replacing Graham Glasgow, drafted in the third round by the Detroit Lions. Drevno said Cole, as well, has a future in the NFL.
"With all the reps he played in two years at left tackle," said Drevno, "it really helps him. He understands the opponents in our conference and their schemes. He understands the different players on the defensive lines and can help in that area.
"It's neat when you can be multi-dimensional. That's another club in your bag when you go on, and he's (going to be) an NFL football player. It's going to help his stock and help our football team."
Cole, 20, is a young veteran from Tarpon Springs, Florida, with 25 starts already. He was the first Michigan true freshman to ever start a season opener at an offensive line position in 2014 and never looked out of place at perhaps the toughest position group for a player fresh out of high school to stick.
He'd always worn his hair short and was clean shaven, looking even more youthful that way. Though, he's growing his hair out and had a beard going when we spoke recently in the Michigan Stadium locker room. I mentioned that I almost didn't recognize him, and he laughed.
Was he trying to look like fifth-year senior right tackle Erik Magnuson, who always sports a beard and likes to let his hair down?
"No," Cole said with a smile. "He's trying to look like me, and you can tell him I said that, too."
Magnuson, standing a few feet away, cracked up listening to Cole. Their exchange was that of two teammates comfortable with one another both in humor and football. The offensive line is one of the closest and most experienced units on the team with guards Ben Braden and Kyle Kalis classmates of Magnuson and true sophomore Grant Newsome taking over for Cole at left tackle. The veteran line's savvy will be critical to an offense looking to replace quarterback Jake Rudock with John O'Korn or Wilton Speight the likely choice.
Seven-on-seven drills, which players organized during the summer, required only the center from the offensive line to snap the ball to quarterbacks for passing game competition.
"You go out there every day and try to perfect your craft and get the muscle memory going," said Cole. "Then by the time you get to camp, it makes the camp easy."
Cole worked at center both in 2015 and 2016 spring drills in anticipation of this move, and said that working on a new position in a teaching setting greatly aided his transition.
"Coming over from the outside to the inside you're not really put on an island as much as you are at tackle," said Cole. "Mentally, it's so much different. I just see the defense and know what the defense is going to do and anticipate what's going on. And you have to snap the ball, too, which is different and takes some getting used to. But once you get the hang of that and see things from a different perspective it goes real smooth.
"The left tackle gets a lot of credit for protecting the (quarterback's) blind side and being on that island. But he can't do his job without the left guard doing his job, and the left guard can't do his job without the center doing his job. So, the five of us work together to protect the quarterback."
Cole studied tape of Glasgow to better understand his new role.
"Going back and watching old film from last year and seeing how Graham did it and how well Graham did it was good to see because he was doing it in the same offense and the same system," said Cole, who has stayed in touch with Glasgow.
Those 25 starts also help in terms of understanding game speed and intensity.
"It's good to have this experience under your belt," Cole said. "To be able to say you did that your first two years is really good."
Michigan has provided a rapid-maturation process for Cole, who participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl after his senior season at powerhouse Palm Harbor East Lake High.
He credited his position coach as a freshman, Darrell Funk, now at Purdue, for his development along with Drevno.
"Coach Drevno, and even before that Coach Funk, have been tremendous," said Cole. "Ever since Coach Drevno got here, he's really brought NFL technique and NFL experience. Having someone who's been there and coached the best and coached in the Super Bowl, it gives you a lot of confidence. Your coach has been there and done that, and I can really learn from him and trust him."
Drevno coached tackle Joe Staley and guard Mike Iupati when both became 2013 Pro Bowl starters for current Wolverine head coach Jim Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers. When told that Drevno also sees him as an NFL player, Cole was pleased.
Though, it's the possibilities possessed by the 2016 Wolverines, ranked No. 4 by Sports Illustrated, that most excite Cole.
"I keep telling my mom that we've got to make it to the national championship game because it's in Tampa," said Cole.
He got a new tattoo of a palm tree on the inside of his right forearm as a reminder of his roots.
"I'm from Florida, and so I got me a palm tree," said Cole, who grew up a half-hour drive from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, site of the NCAA title showdown.
He went home for a week in May and enjoyed going to his favorite spot on the far north side of Clearwater Beach, a white-sand destination favored by the locals. That was his vacation, and it's been all football since returning to Ann Arbor. If his next trek home is a business trip for a big game in January, all the hard work and adjustments will have paid off to the max.
