Jim Harbaugh addresses who will take on offensive play-calling responsibilities

Jim Harbaugh was forced to rebuild Michigan’s coaching staff this offseason, as Broyles Award-winning offensive coordinator Josh Gattis left the Wolverines to accept the same job at the University of Miami.

Rather than hiring an external candidate, however, Harbaugh ultimately decided to replace Gattis with in-house candidates. Michigan announced multiple coaching staff changes, as Harbaugh decided that Sherrone Moore will continue as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach after spending 2021 in the role. Additionally, Harbaugh promoted Matt Weiss to co-offensive coordinator alongside Moore after spending last year as quarterbacks coach.

But with co-offensive coordinators in Moore and Weiss, Harbaugh is left with one pressing question: Who will handle play-calling duties? Harbaugh recently shared the answer to Michigan’s offensive play calling in an appearance on the In the Trenches podcast.

“We have two offensive coordinators, co-coordinators. We’re going to split the play-calling duties,” Harbaugh said. “Sherrone is going to be really dedicated still to coaching the offensive line, which is a huge undertaking. But I think he’s very much a gifted coach that will be able to coach the offensive line, which is a huge undertaking. But I think he’s very much a gifted coach that will be able to coach the offensive line, game plan the run game along with Mike Hart and Grant Newsome. Then, in the pass game, Matt Weiss, myself, Ron Bellamy, we’ll be game planning the passing game and Matt will call it.”

Harbaugh made it seem like the play-calling will be split between the run and pass game, with Moore calling the run plays and Weiss calling the passing plays. Regardless, both of his newly-promoted co-offensive coordinators have not called plays in the past, adding an extra challenge to the task at hand. But Harbaugh isn’t worried as he expressed full confidence in his cohort’s ability to adapt.

“All of these things will be — as you know, there’s a call sheet that we all go through with a fine-tooth comb. We practice it. We meet on it. And then we practice it again,” Harbaugh said. “By the time we come to the game, it’s listed what we’re going to call. I think both Sherrone and Matt Weiss — they’re going to be first-year playcallers. They both have the demeanor during the game to be calm, cool, collected, and rip off those playcalls.”

Moore joined Michigan in 2018 as tight ends coach and transitioned to offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator last season. Weiss spent 12 years with the Baltimore Ravens, working his way up from head coach’s assistant in 2009 to running backs coach from 2019-20, before joining Michigan this season as quarterbacks coach.