CBS Sports analyst hammers Michigan, Sherrone Moore over quarterback issues

Saturday was another house of horrors for the Michigan offense. And on the road out of a bye week, the subpar showing from the offense was too much to take for CBS analyst Brian Jones.

On the postgame show, he laid in to head coach Sherrone Moore and the offensive staff for failing to develop the quarterbacks, specifically, or design and call a better offense for their talents. On the day, Jack Tuttle — making his first start — went 20-for-32 for 208 yards and a late, crushing interception.

And it all culminated in a 21-7 loss to Illinois, Michigan’s lowest point total since being shutout by Notre Dame in early September of the 2014 season.

“That’s embarrassing,” Jones said of the Wolverines offense. “That’s an indictment of that coaching staff. You had two weeks to get ready for this football game, you’re on your third quarterback, and none of them know how to complete a forward pass. Are you kidding me? I would’ve put Davis Warren back in. At least he can get out of harm’s way. He’s athletic. Put [Alex] Orji in there. He can get out of harm’s way. Coach some zone-read or something. Obviously they don’t know how to coach any other type of offense there.”

Much of the consternation around Michigan’s offense through the first half of the season centered on the Wolverines not taking a transfer quarterback when there was a seeming void at the position. Instead, Michigan rolled with Tuttle, Orji and Warren.

Warren won the starting job to open the season but lost the job to Orji after three paltry weeks. Orji gave way to Tuttle against Washington around halftime. Tuttle had been injured prior to the season and now healthy with a week of prep, the hope was the Michigan offense could turn a page to a more balanced, rounded attack.

And Michigan did out gain the Illini, 322-267, but was undone by a pair of first half fumbles — one by Donovan Edwards and the first by Tuttle — and a red zone interception in the fourth quarter as Michigan tried to mount a comeback, down 21-7.

On the road Saturday, the Wolverines defense, run game and offensive line showed up and gave Michigan every chance to win. But as too often been the case for the Wolverines this year, not much mattered because of deficiencies under center.