Tag: Sherrone Moore

Freshman RB making strong impression on Michigan football’s Sherrone Moore

Could he be a year-one contributor, even in a loaded room? #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football has an embarrassment of riches in the running backs room. Led by Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, the Wolverines have the best one-two punch in the country.

But, as we saw last year, if one goes down, you need more bodies who can step up and take on the role.

The Wolverines have a few. Converted linebacker Kalel Mullings performed well in the Big Ten championship game, but fumbled in a key moment in the College Football Playoff semifinal. CJ Stokes was just a freshman last year, but looked good when inserted. Tavierre Dunlap and Isaiah Gash are somewhat unknown commodities.

This year, Michigan brought in two freshmen: four-star Cole Cabana and three-star Benjamin Hall. Though Cabana is the one who grabbed the headlines, Hall has impressed the coaching staff, as offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore noted this week.

“Ben Hall — we knew he was a good back. He showed some things that obviously Mike (Hart) knew,” Moore said. “Mike does a great job recruiting and evaluating guys. And he’s a guy that wasn’t very highly ranked, but he walks the building, his legs are giant — they’re huge. He’s built. He’s always in here. You’ve gotta kick him out. He’s always walking around with a water bottle with his headphones on just always locked in, focused. And he goes on the field, he runs like a train. So excited to see him and progress.”

With the spring game coming up on Saturday, fans will certainly be glued to the early enrollee and how he performs.

Outside of Hall, Moore shared a few other first-year players who have made an early impression, noting the two wide receivers as well as one of the offensive linemen who made it to campus.

“First of all, the guys have been great additions from a culture standpoint, just a great fit. Love all the guys, love all the kids,” Moore said. “Start with the guys up front; all those guys have been awesome. Just excited to keep them rolling and get ready for fall camp. Spring ball’s come and we’ve got the spring game coming up and excited to see the progress of everybody, especially our young freshmen.

“Amir (Herring), just to watch him grow, just to learn the system and see what he’s doing. He’s been really good. Really, really excited about these young receivers, to see what they do. They’ve been — they’re just like little puppies out there, but they’re just full of energy. Full playmaking ability. We’re just excited about that.”

Herring was the sole midyear player who did not get to participate in bowl prep as he partook in a high school all-America game.

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Top 10 quotes from Michigan football coordinators at spring presser

Some really good stuff from both Jesse Minter and Sherrone Moore! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football had a rare afternoon where the media got the opportunity to meet with both coordinators on Tuesday.

Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter had their first availabilities in 2023, as the last time they were made available was on media day for the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, one day before the Wolverines took the field against TCU. On Tuesday, they touched on a variety of issues that impact their side of the ball, from Moore discussing being the sole OC, to what Minter learned from the loss against the Horned Frogs, and much more.

Here are our 10 favorite quotes from the duo from the 35 minutes they were made available.

What Sherrone Moore said about the Michigan football offense in spring ball

It’ll be interesting to see what the offense looks like this year. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — You can’t exactly call him a new sheriff in town because Sherrone Moore was the co-offensive coordinator the past two years. But last year, he wasn’t playing second fiddle to Josh Gattis as he was in 2021. Now, with Matt Weiss gone, he has the sole responsibility of the offense.

Michigan football is fully entrenched in spring ball, with the spring game coming up on April 1. Moore met with the media on Tuesday for the first time since before the Wolverines’ loss to TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinal, to discuss the state of the offense, the mindset as the maize and blue work to return to the playoff, and more.

Here is everything he had to say.

Michigan football announces staff changes

The staff is officially complete. #GoBlue

The offseason changes are now officially official.

Michigan football took to social media to announce the changes that took place in recent weeks. On Thursday, it was revealed that George Helow is moving on from the program, which was foreshadowed by the prodigal return of Chris Partridge, announced just over a week prior. Partridge spent the past three years coordinating the defense at Ole Miss.

With Matt Weiss having been fired and Helow gone, the Wolverines have elevated Sherrone Moore to the sole offensive coordinator position and Partridge is back coaching linebackers — his role in Ann Arbor in 2016-17. Thus, the staff changes are now complete.

While it wasn’t expected that there would be any changes this offseason, it pales in comparison to the year previous, when the maize and blue Al had to replace both coordinators and do even more shuffling. This offseason should allow for more consistency — a boon given that Michigan has the fifth-most returning production from last year.

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What Sherrone Moore said about the Michigan football offense in Week 12

Does the offense have another gear? Does it even need one? #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Despite much of the handwringing about the pass game in recent weeks, the Michigan football offense continues to be among the best in the country.

The Wolverines run the ball as well as anyone, thus eliminating the need to throw the ball. But, what happens if someone stops the run? Co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore says he isn’t concerned.

Meeting with the media on Wednesday, Moore discussed the state of the offense as a whole, as well as where the unit needs to go from here. Here is everything he had to say with Illinois and Ohio State being the two games coming up.

How Sherrone Moore is acclimating to calling plays for Michigan football

Two games in, it’s been solid! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Whenever there’s new blood at the top-end of the coaching staff, there’s something of an adjustment period, and for Michigan football, it’s no exception.

The Wolverines lost three-year offensive coordinator Josh Gattis to Miami this offseason, and thus elevated Sherrone Moore and Matt Weiss to oversee the post. While the scheme has remained the same, now the maize and blue have two coaches who are first-time play callers, which can require some acclimation. Gattis didn’t excel at that part of the job until year three, but Moore and Weiss have benefitted by having a weaker-than-usual nonconference schedule to get acclimated.

Thus far, Moore is happy with how that aspect of the game has worked, evidenced by both of Michigan’s first two games essentially being put away by halftime.

“It’s been good. Again, play-calling has been smooth,” Moore said. “Play-calling — I felt like there’s been a rhythm. Obviously, when you put up the points we have, it’s felt like it’s gone pretty well. We always think there’s things to improve.”

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Moore was most recently Michigan’s offensive line coach, a role he had for one year after being the tight ends coach from 2018-20. Now, he’s still overseeing the O-line, but has the added duties of an offensive coordinator.

So, what are the areas of the job where it’s presented something of a learning curve? For Moore, it’s been overseeing his unit as well as seeing the offense as a whole.

“Just different because I’m calling plays so it’s — obviously when you’re not a play-caller, you suggest plays, you have a thought process of what plays you would like to be called,” Moore said. “And then you’re suggesting a play call like, ‘I’d like to get this one in this area,’ but you’re not saying it during the series and there’s more focus on just your position. When you’re calling plays, you’re watching everything. So there’s less of me, like just watching the offensive line.

“When I’m calling plays is less than just watching a position. It’s more watching everything. And then between series and drives, it’s communicating with staff, trying to figure out what do we want the next series of things to look like, figuring out the rhythm and making the notes to make that happen. So then the communication with the players is to try to be as much and as detailed, but it’s just a little different when you are calling plays.”

As far as how plays are called, Moore insists that the program has a system, which appears to be by-committee. However, he won’t divulge exactly how it works — whether it’s by type of play that Jim Harbaugh wants, or if it’s strictly by down, distance, and situation.

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Everything Sherrone Moore said about the Michigan football offense in Week 3

Really excited about the offense! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Michigan football offense is truly ‘new look’ even though there are so many returning players from last year.

Now that the Wolverines are heading into Week 3, with new offensive coordinators and a new starting quarterback, the complexion of the maize and blue attack is rapidly changing. We saw just how dynamic QB J.J. McCarthy could be in his first start against Hawaii.

On Wednesday, co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore met with the media to discuss the state of the offense, how he’s acclimating to his new role, what he’s seen from the offensive line, and more.

Here is everything he had to say.

Sherrone Moore says Donovan Edwards has a ‘great toolset to be an elite player’

Got to love what was said here. #GoBlue

On Sunday afternoon, both Michigan football offensive coordinators had a chance to talk to the media. The Wolverines just started fall camp on Wednesday, and both Sherrone Moore and Matt Weiss had plenty of interesting things to say about their offense in Ann Arbor, but what was said about the running game was interesting.

There is no denying what was Michigan’s offensive identity last year — running the football. The Wolverines averaged 214 yards-per-game on the ground in 2021, and the maize and blue had three guys that helped: Hassan Haskins, Blake Corum, and Donovan Edwards.

So will Michigan try and replicate last season?

While Sherrone Moore says it’s too soon to tell what the offensive identity will be for Michigan for the 2022 season, Matt Weiss talked a little bit more about running the ball. Weiss talked about how in cold, rainy games that the Big Ten plays in you must be able to run the ball — especially to set up the pass. He also shared that the vision for the offense comes from Jim Harbaugh and the culture that has surrounded the Wolverines since Harbaugh has been here.

“So our vision is directly from Coach Harbaugh,” said Weiss. “If you look at his history of teams, and the culture that’s here at Michigan, that’s the vision for the offense. I think you can see the evolution of that last year with what Sherrone did with the offensive line, and how physical they were last year. And the way he coached, gap schemes, and I think that’s the kind of the calling card of, of Michigan football.”

“It’s an all-weather conference, you have to be able to play and in the cold in the rain, and certainly running the ball is a part of that. And then running the ball sets up the pass game. It’s a lot easier to throw the ball, when you can run the ball; it’s a lot harder to throw the ball when you can’t run the ball. And even you look at the best passing teams in the NFL, which is more of a passing league, they still run the ball, right? Because that’s part of the pass game.”

Of course, Michigan lost its top back from 2021 in Hassan Haskins after he left for the NFL draft. Haskins rushed for 1,333 yards, but he really broke loose once Corum got banged up in the middle of the season. Coach Moore was asked how Michigan can replace his production for 2022. The Wolverines will bring back Blake Corum, who rushed for 962 yards in 2021, and Edwards, but who will be the ‘big’ back for short yardage gains?

“Hassan was an elite player for us in college football,” said Moore. “So it’s hard to replace him but guys like Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, obviously, we have those two, and now you have the Tavis (Tavierre Dunlap), the C.J. Stokes, and even Kalel (Mullings) is getting reps like he did in the spring. Those guys have done a great job for us so far. And I’m just watching those guys continue to progress. Just gonna have to see what we’re gonna have to do.”

The Wolverines have been experimenting with Kalel Mullings at running back this spring and fall. Mullings came into Michigan as a four-star linebacker that was highly sought after. But according to Matt Weiss, Mullings is splitting time on both sides of the ball in fall camp. He says that Mullings being a bigger back, it gives Michigan a different option like Haskins gave the Wolverines last year.

“Yeah, he’s splitting his time with both sides of the ball,” Weiss said of Mullings. “He’s a talented guy who could probably do anything that he wanted to. But I think he could be a really, really high-level back if that’s to be committed himself to. And right now he’s doing everything we ask, obviously. It’s hard when you’re splitting time to master both. But he’s finding a way to do that. And we’re spending extra time with him. And we’re excited about what he can potentially add to an already talented backfield.”

“He’s a bigger back,” Weiss went on about the hybrid back. “We have kind of an embarrassment of riches in the backfield with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, both guys who will likely be playing at the next level. But they’re not however man pounds. Kalel is, he’s a really big, physical guy, so he gives you that presence that we had a lot of success with Hassan last year. We’re not saying that Kalel is going to be Hassan, right, that’s not going to be Kalel. But he adds an element that the other two really talented players — is a little bit different.”

While it sounds like there is a battle brewing for the No. 3 running back job, there is a clear-cut top two for Michigan: Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. We all know what Corum is capable of after his performance last season. The former four-star back came out of the gates like a man on fire after rushing for over 200 yards during his first three games of the season.

But the more intriguing factor for Michigan for 2022 is Donovan Edwards. The former five-star back out of West Bloomfield rushed for 178 yards in 2021 running behind both Haskins and Corum. But what makes Edwards so lethal is his ability to catch the ball. He was fifth on the team last year in receiving with 265 yards, and he really broke out against Maryland last year when he caught 10 passes for 170 yards and a score.

During Big Ten Media Days, FOX analyst Joel Klatt said that Edwards was his “dark horse Heisman contender”. Also during Big Ten Media Days, coach Harbaugh said that Edwards was one of his favorite players and was a once-in-a-generation type of talent. So what does his offensive coordinator think? Sherrone Moore says Edwards brings a ton of energy to the team, and that he has the toolset to be an elite player in college football.

“Yeah, the first thing he brings is energy, because if he walked through right now, you’d probably hear him yelling,” said Moore. “Just the energy, the presence that he has, he has an infectious personality. He’s an electric player, and he’s still learning to do things, he’s by no means a finished product. So he continues to strive to get better, and he just wants to be pushed to get better. But he has a great skill set, a great toolset to be an elite player in college football. And we have higher expectations of him and he has high expectations of himself. So I’ll just continue to push him to try to get better.”

The Wolverines will get their season started on September 3rd against Colorado State.

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What Michigan co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore said about the team in fall camp

This is exactly the type of stuff you want to hear! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It has truly begun, with Michigan football having kicked off fall camp on Wednesday, and the team holding its first media availability on Sunday.

The first press conference featured the co-offensive coordinators — Sherrone Moore and Matt Weiss. Moore addressed more of the overall offense, save for the quarterback position, while Weiss discussed more about the quarterback position, competition, and how his role has been adjusted.

With Moore going first, he talked a lot about how the offense has been progressing, how this year is different for him, what he’s seen thus far in fall camp, and even what he’s seen from the defensive side of the ball.

Here is everything he had to say on Sunday.

Dual Michigan offensive coordinators get vote of confidence from Cade McNamara

It’ll be really interesting to see how the offense works when the season comes. #GoBlue

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Michigan football returns the bulk of its offensive personnel, both on the field and off. But there will still be changes in 2022.

Josh Gattis inexplicably departed for the Miami OC job this offseason, and instead of bringing in a new name, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh elevated quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss to the co-offensive coordinator position while offensive line coach Sherrone Moore retained that title. No longer was Moore essentially an underling to Gattis as a coordinator, now he and Weiss are set to share the duties of overseeing the entire offense this fall.

Naturally, there are questions as to what that will look like when the season arrives, but quarterback Cade McNamara likes what he’s seen from the duo thus far, having gone through spring ball. From what he can tell, the coordinator-by-committee situation has worked and will work once it’s time to officially put the pads on.

“Really, there’s so much more to being an offensive coordinator than just calling plays. And I think Coach Harbaugh is doing a really good job of balancing the two and those two are being very unselfish,” McNamara said. “They’re really two great individuals. And it’s pretty obvious to the team, how much they care about their new roles as well. I’m just really excited to continue growing my relationship with both of them.”

It’s not the first time Harbaugh has deployed multiple coordinators on offense. While Tim Drevno had the official offensive coordinator title from 2015-17, the pass game coordinators (Jedd Fisch in 2015-16 and Pep Hamilton in 2017) had what appeared to be equal footing when it came to calling and running the offense. So, this tactic is not new, to Harbaugh or the program.

Sherrone Moore got his feet wet a little with the co-coordinator role in 2021, but Matt Weiss’ elevation is a new development in his career. The former Baltimore Ravens run game coordinator certainly has bona fides and offensive prowess, but we’ll learn a lot more once we actually see him in action this fall.

Of course, as McNamara’s position coach last year, he has a pretty good idea of what Weiss brings to the table, noting that he’s been quite beneficial in terms of getting the passers ready, not just for the college game week-to-week, but their potential future at the pro-level.

“I think Coach Weiss is very, I mean, he’s extremely smart. I think any situational awareness, Coach Weiss is very comfortable. In any scenario that we get put in, in a football game, what he brings to the table as far as drawing up plays for certain looks, I think he’s very comfortable,” McNamara said. “He’s seen a lot. He’s seen what that looks like, from the NFL perspective, and he’s able to take that knowledge and give it to us. And, he’s taught me so much as to even what I can expect at the next level. And, he’s really good dude. And I know he’s got a lot of respect, not just from me, but from Coach Harbaugh, and the rest of the guys, so just really looking forward to this season with him.”

What’s more, McNamara says that Weiss is congenial and not at all domineering.

The biggest aspect is that he wants his signal callers to understand why the game works as it does rather than putting band-aids on flesh wounds, so to speak.

“He’s very serious, but at the same time, you can joke around with him,” McNamara said. “Coach Weiss is really laid back, you can share some very personal things with him and I know a lot of us appreciate that. And when it comes to on the field, he’s very aware of — maybe he did not play quarterback, but he understands what it takes to play quarterback as far as the movement, as far as throwing, he really takes in consideration our natural feel of the game.

“And watching film, if you move into pocket a certain way, as to maybe just saying, like, ‘Maybe you didn’t have to do that,’ or, maybe less criticism, it’s more of a conversation — ‘Why did this happen?’ and how can we do better from this certain play or situation that we faced.”

As far as who will be calling plays and when, there’s no clear indicator as to how that will work. Perhaps we’ll get a decent idea once the season arrives, but — given that it was never clear in Harbaugh’s first three years in Ann Arbor — perhaps not.

And if the offense works as it did in 2015 and 2016, it won’t really matter what we know.

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