Michigan Football’s Rhino Package: Who Will Replace Andrew Babalola in Week 1?

Jason Beck arrives at Michigan as the program’s new offensive coordinator with a clear offensive vision: spread the field with more personnel groupings while still leaning heavily on a dominant rushing attack. The results speak for themselves — in both 2024 and 2025, Beck’s offense finished with the No. 2 rushing attack in all of college football.

A significant reason for that success is Beck’s now-famous “Rhino” package, which uses a sixth offensive lineman on the field instead of a traditional skill-position player. The package saw more than 400 snaps last season alone, using six large bodies up front to open wide rushing lanes for Michigan’s running backs.

Andrew Babalola Set to Miss Michigan’s Week 1 Opener

The expectation entering the season was that Andrew Babalola would be the player handling Rhino duties for Michigan in 2026. However, Babalola is now set to miss the team’s Week 1 opener, forcing the coaching staff to sort out who steps into that role in his absence.

Three Players Competing for Michigan’s Rhino Spot

According to Michigan right guard Brady Norton, three players are currently competing for the vacant Rhino role — and none of them are the names most fans would have expected heading into the season. Norton explained that he hasn’t personally repped the Rhino spot himself, noting that the competition has mainly come down to Manuel Beigel, a transfer who moved over from defensive tackle, along with Avery Gach and Marky Walbridge, both of whom have also been getting reps at the position. Norton said all three have performed well throughout the competition.

Manuel Beigel’s Unlikely Transition From Defensive Tackle to Offensive Line

The most intriguing name in the mix is Manuel Beigel. A 6-foot-5, 307-pound prospect from Germany, Beigel appeared in seven games for Michigan last season — three of them lining up on the defensive line. Now, under Jason Beck’s direction, Beigel has transitioned to the offensive side of the ball, with the coaching staff looking to use his size and physicality to help carve out running lanes as part of the Rhino package.

Norton has taken an active role in helping Beigel make that transition. He explained that since Beigel has never previously played offensive line, much of the coaching has focused on fundamentals — footwork, pass protection technique, proper alignment, and effective hand usage. According to Norton, Beigel has picked those concepts up quickly despite being new to the position.

Why Manuel Beigel’s Defensive Background Could Be an Asset

Beigel’s two seasons of experience as a defensive lineman may actually be working in his favor during this transition. Norton pointed out that Beigel already understands pad level and physicality from his time on defense, and that his familiarity with typical defensive line tendencies gives him useful insight into how to counter those techniques now that he’s playing offense. Norton described Beigel as extremely physical, someone who gets off the ball well and plays with strong pad level — traits that translate directly from his previous position.

How Michigan’s Rhino Package Powers Its Rushing Attack

Michigan’s usage patterns from last season make clear that the Rhino package will remain a key part of the offensive identity moving forward. The logic behind it is straightforward: fielding six players over 300 pounds up front, rather than substituting in a smaller tight end, generates significantly more push at the point of attack.

Norton spoke directly to how that extra size has boosted Michigan’s overall power in the run game. He explained that having an additional offensive lineman on the field — someone capable of both pass protection and run blocking — makes a real difference compared to a lighter tight end. Norton said he’d rather have a 310-pound blocker in the run game than a 240- or 250-pound tight end, emphasizing that the added weight and physicality translates directly into more push and more effective run blocking for Michigan’s offense.

What Michigan’s Rhino Battle Means for Week 1 vs. Western Michigan

With Babalola sidelined for the season opener, the winner of this three-man competition will play a meaningful role in determining how effectively Michigan can execute its power-running identity right out of the gate. Whether it’s Beigel’s rapid development from the defensive line, or Gach and Walbridge stepping up in their own right, Michigan’s ability to replicate last season’s elite rushing production may hinge on how quickly this next man up can fill Babalola’s role within Jason Beck’s scheme.