Andrew Vastardis jokes he was “brainwashed” from an early age to love Michigan even though he was raised in Virginia.
His mother grew up in Midland and her brother, Mark Braman, was a 24-game starter for Michigan at defensive back. That helps explain why Vastardis turned down a full scholarship to Old Dominion when he got the call from Michigan offering a preferred walk-on spot. He couldn’t turn that down.
Vastardis, now a fifth-year senior graduate student juggling school, football and medical school applications, is preparing to take over as the Wolverines’ starting center when they open the eight-game regular season on Saturday at Minnesota.