Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh announced Monday right tackle Andrew Stueber tore his anterior cruciate ligament and is out for the season.

“Andrew will not be back this year," Harbaugh said. "He has an ACL tear.”

Stueber, a redshirt sophomore, suffered the injury during practice Aug. 14. He played 11 games at right tackle and started the final two games of last season.

It's a significant blow to the depth of the Wolverines' offensive line, as Stueber had been competing with Jalen Mayfield for the starting job.

“He was right there," Harbaugh said. "Been asked this question over and over — who’s going to be the right tackle — and Mayfield, Stueber, both competing, working, wanting that position. Neither giving an inch at any time.

"You feel for Andrew Stueber because of that. So important to both of them. He’ll be back. Jalen Mayfield was right there along the whole time. Didn’t know which way it was going to go."

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Added defensive end Aidan Hutchinson: “Man, they were competing for the longest time. They were competing since the start of spring ball. But they’re both really god competitors, they were both really working their tails off in camp, in spring ball.

"Unfortunately, Stueber fell to an injury. That just means Jalen’s got to step up. That happens in football. Next man up, and you’ve just got to go.”

Mayfield, a 6-foot-5, 319-pound redshirt freshman, is a "quick-twitch, athletic" blocker. He was a 4-star recruit out of Grand Rapids Catholic Central and a formidable presence on the basketball court. Mayfield played in several games last year as a backup tackle.

Now, Michigan will be counting on him for much more.

“Now that Stueber is out, Jalen’s adopted the starter attitude," Hutchinson said. "You’ve just got to bring that attitude every day to practice, into the games and everything.”

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Contact Orion Sang at osang@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines and sign up for our Wolverines newsletter.