Michigan’s 52-17 win over UTEP came with one major concern that the Wolverines still cannot answer. Andrew Sprague was a late scratch before the game, and head coach Kyle Whittingham has now made it clear that the offensive tackle’s health is taking priority. Whittingham’s comments also raised some eyebrows because he offered no firm timeline for Sprague’s return. 

“Hopefully we can have him back. That’s the major concern right now, the primary concern is his health,” said Whittingham, per Detroit Free Press reporter Tony Garcia, who wrote on X.

The uncertainty comes from how suddenly the situation developed, because Sprague had been Michigan’s starting right tackle through the first two games of the season. He went through the team’s Friday walkthrough ahead of the UTEP game, leaving Whittingham and his staff expecting him to be available.

But everything changed when offensive line coach and associate head coach Jim Harding told Whittingham that Sprague would not be playing, leaving the Michigan coach stunned by how quickly the situation had developed.

“‘What? Why? What happened between a half-hour ago and now?’” Whittingham recalled Monday night on the Inside Michigan Football radio show. “It was just a weird thing. Hopefully we get Andrew back. That’s the major concern right now.”

The exact nature of Sprague’s health issue has not been publicly disclosed. Whittingham also made it clear that the staff is still trying to determine exactly what they are dealing with.

“We just don’t know,” Whittingham said. “We’re trying to sort through that, to make sure we get the exact diagnosis and treat this thing the right way.”

That makes the timeline especially difficult to predict, yet Whittingham gave a range that stretched from the upcoming game to several weeks.

“I think, you know, it could be anywhere from this week to several weeks, and so we just don’t know,” HC said.

Detroit Free Press’ Tony Garcia also pointed it out.

“Maybe looking into this too much, but he didn’t say back ‘this week’ but simply hopes to have him back. That’s concerning,” wrote Garcia on X.

For Michigan, that is a particularly important question because Sprague is not simply another player competing for snaps. The 6-foot-8, 304-pound junior has established himself as a key part of the offensive line and started every game at right tackle last season except for the Citrus Bowl matchup against Texas.

Sprague got his first taste of college football in 2024, suiting up for four games as a true freshman. The season gave him a real trial by fire when he started against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, going up against one of the toughest defenses in the country in just his first career start. 

Pro Football Focus had him graded as the top offensive player on the team, at 63.3. On top of that, he held his own in pass protection, giving up just a single pressure across 19 pass-blocking snaps.

The 21-year-old also started Michigan’s first two games this year, meaning the Wolverines had built their early offensive plans around having him on the right side. Now, they have to prepare without knowing how long he will be out.

“The primary concern is his health and making sure we can get him back to where he needs to be,” Whittingham said. “He’s a big part of what we’re doing. We hope to have him back sooner rather than later.”

That uncertainty makes Michigan’s ability to handle Sprague’s absence all the more important as the Wolverines move into Big Ten play.

Michigan found a way without Sprague against UTEP

Michigan did not have much time to prepare for Sprague’s absence against UTEP. The Wolverines had already completed most of their practice preparation when they learned about the injury.

That forced the coaching staff to reshuffle the line. So, Blake Frazier moved from left tackle to right tackle, while Evan Link stepped in at left tackle. The combination had essentially received no practice reps together during the week. Whittingham was nevertheless pleased with how the group responded.

“Couldn’t be prouder of what they did,” he said. “We had zero reps during the week with that configuration.”

Michigan went on to produce its best rushing performance of the season, finishing with 185 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Bryce Underwood also completed 19 of 25 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns.

The result showed that Michigan could adjust on short notice, but the next challenge is whether that same solution holds up against tougher competition.

The Wolverines open Big Ten play at home against Iowa on Sept. 26. Whittingham will have to prepare for that matchup while still waiting to find out whether Sprague can return.

Michigan is expected to have a clearer picture once the Wolverines submit their first Big Ten availability report on Wednesday. Until then, the status of one of their key offensive linemen remains unresolved.