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Brady Norton has taken an unconventional path to becoming one of Michigan’s most versatile offensive linemen. Now, heading into 2026, he is focused on turning that versatility into mastery at one position.
With an offseason with new position coach Jim Harding’s guidance and a clear home on the interior, Norton spoke exclusively with Maize n Brew about his development, the new coaching staff, what this year’s team is capable of, and more.
The jump from Cal Poly to Michigan
Norton transferred to Michigan from Cal Poly ahead of last season as one of the top offensive tackles in the FCS after allowing zero sacks and just three pressures on 444 pass-blocking snaps in 2024. But interestingly enough, he played at right guard and right tackle, as well as at the extra offensive lineman position when the Wolverines lined up more than five up front.
His decision to leave Cal Poly — a place where he was one of the best offensive linemen in the FCS — for the uncertainty of a Big Ten program was not one he took lightly. But the motivation behind it was more than understandable and what ultimately led him to Ann Arbor.
“I love Cal Poly and everything it did for me, but the opportunity to play at the biggest stage and the biggest level really intrigued me,” Norton told Maize n Brew in an exclusive interview. “Cal Poly was good at football, but I wanted to play with the best of the best, so when I had the opportunity to make the jump, I’ll be even more prepared (for the next level).”
That mentality of seeking out the highest level of competition is exactly the kind of mindset Harding and head coach Kyle Whittingham look for in their offensive linemen. Norton came to Ann Arbor with something to prove, and last season gave him the opportunity do exactly that.
Playing multiple positions
One of the defining features of Norton’s first season at Michigan was his positional versatility, as he played right guard, right tackle and sixth lineman last season. It was valuable for the team, but Norton was candid about how it felt from his perspective.
“Honestly, (playing multiple positions was) a little challenging,” Norton said. “I prefer to stick to one position and one position only to master my craft in that. But during last season, I needed to play a couple different positions to help the team win, so even though I wasn’t fully onboard with moving around, I knew it helped my team win so I did it with a smile on my face.”
This offseason, Norton has received the stability he was looking for. He has been repping primarily at right guard and is competing for that starting job heading into fall camp.
“I feel most comfortable at that position,” Norton said. “I’m still a tackle at heart, but I’ve been moved inside and I’ve been playing a lot better a lot more comfortably.”
On his third coaching staff in three years, and improvements being made
With Whittingham and company coming to Ann Arbor this offseason Norton has now played for three different coaching staffs in three years. Navigating that kind of change would test the patience of any player, but Norton spoke glowingly about what this staff is trying to build.
“The coaching transition has been smooth,” Norton said. “The new coaching staff has a long history of winning football games. I got a lot of confidence in coach Whittingham and coach Harding. I’ve noticed in the team that guys are a lot more motivated. There’s a lot of hope in going all the way and we know we have the guys on the roster to make it all the way.”
Like Efobi in our exclusive interview with him last week, Norton had nothing but praise for what Harding has brought to the table. The specifics of what Harding has worked on with Norton are telling — it’s not just about the scheme, but it’s also about the fundamentals that separate good linemen from great ones.
“It’s been great with coach Harding,” Norton said. “He as a coach is very wise and knows the game plan and playbook to help us succeed. During spring ball, he gave me a few pointers in my footwork and my body position to help me be more powerful at the point of attack in my blocking, and it helped me a lot in spring ball.”
Those specific details determine whether an offensive lineman can consistently win individual battles against defenders, so the fact Harding is drilling those fundamentals in with a player like Norton who already has significant experience suggests he is pushing his players to a level of technical precision the previous staff may not have emphasized as heavily.
All in all, the improvements being made are a major positive for Norton and the Wolverines’ offensive line heading into the new season. Not only will that help everyone’s overall play get better, but it will also have a direct impact on the offense as a whole.
One of the areas that could use some work this offseason is pass protection. Quarterback Bryce Underwood was sacked 20 times and pressured 103 times, per Pro Football Focus, last season. Underwood and the passing offense, which ranked No. 105 in the FBS last season, struggled in part because of that. Not all of that is the offensive line’s fault, but it shows improvements need to be made across the board, and that includes the five guys up front.
Norton was pretty direct when asked about Michigan’s pass protection struggles last year and what the group has been doing to address that this offseason.
“Our problems last year in pass protection was being firm in the pocket and not giving Bryce Underwood a comfortable pocket to throw the ball,” Norton said. “Coach Harding has helped a lot with us being a lot more physical and a lot more stout in the pocket to let our quarterback get the ball off clean.”
On his personal goals
Norton’s answer when asked what he is working on to take the next step was perhaps the most telling about the kind of professional approach he is bringing to his development.
“My body composition,” Norton said. “I wanna get my skeletal muscle mass up and my body fat percentage down with the nutrition staff and the new strength staff. It’s been really good progress since the spring. The strength staff has done an amazing job with the workouts they’ve given us, and I definitely feel like I’m a lot stronger and faster in my game.”
Norton arrived at Michigan at 280 pounds; he is now now listed at 312 pounds. The fact he is not just focused on adding mass but also improving his body composition suggests a player who is thinking about his game at a sophisticated level. Being stronger and faster at the point of attack is exactly what Michigan’s offensive line needs moving forward.
His final message
When asked if there was anything else he wanted to say, Norton kept his final message short and sweet: “Don’t count us out.”
Coming from a player who has been through three coaching staffs, played multiple positions, added 32 pounds to his frame and competed for a starting job through all of it, this is great to hear. If the offensive line takes the step forward that Norton and his teammates believe it can, Michigan’s offense as a whole could be a lot more difficult to game plan against than it was a year ago.
