Michigan OL coach Grant Newsome on offensive philosophy: 'Our identity is winning football games'
The Michigan Wolverines have not been all that concerned about the noise about the offense coming out of a 27-24 win over USC on Saturday. The 290 yards rushing was a return to form for the ground-and-pound program, but 32 yards passing has caused all kinds of ruckus nationally.
Is that what Michigan is going to be moving forward? That depends, according to Michigan OL coach Grant Newsome.
“In terms of identity, our identity is winning football games,” he said on Wednesday. “And I think that we’re all in alignment that we’re going to do whatever it takes to win the football game. That game was, let’s keep the ball on the ground and keep churning away yards. No different than it was in Penn State in 2023, even when JJ [McCarthy] was back there. So, I don’t think it’s a reflection of we don’t want to pass the football or we can’t pass the football. It’s what that game called for. And at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. That’s what we’re about, as an offensive staff, and Coach Campbell leading us is scoring one more point and winning the game. And we have confidence that, when it came down to it in that last drive, no matter what it took, we were going to be able to get the job done.”
There could be a lot to blame for the passing game struggles. The quarterback position has been fluid, and the pass catchers have not risen to the occasion just yet. But the pass blocking of the Michigan offensive line might be the key to unlocking everything. Newsome knows that must improve.
“It’s something we’ve got to continue to improve on week over week,” Newsome said. “And the hay is never in the barn. We’re not where we need to be at the end of the season or want to be at the end of the season. And we just got to make sure that every single week it gets better and better. Because in order for us to reach our goals as a team, that’s going to be a big part of it. It starts with me and making sure that I’m doing everything possible to put them in good positions.”
Still, last week saw a boom-or-bust production from the offense and the biggest challenge from here is leveling out the performances.
“It’s like anything comes down to making sure that as position coaches we do everything possible to prepare them for looks you may get and being sure they’re able to execute their technique,” Newsome said. “And then it comes down to executing both. So it’s kind of that dual nature of we got to do the best to prepare them we possibly can because it starts with me to make sure those guys are ready to go and have seen every possible look and are prepared for anything they may face. And then, it’s that marriage and then going out and executing it. And I don’t think – I don’t see this as a kind of boom or bust operation. It just happened that we broke some big runs and it drives quickly. But you never want to go three and out.”
Pushed by a Michigan reporter on the proof that the team’s recipe could work, Newsome cited the not-so-recent past that could inform the future.
“We did win the national championship last year,” Newsome said. “[What happens next] is to be determined. But I know I trust all of our guys. I trust our coaches. I think we’re going to do what the game calls for. And I guess the only evidence I can give you is that there were people saying this last year after Penn State, you won’t be able to beat Ohio State doing this. You won’t be able to win the Big Ten championship. It’s not going to work for us at Alabama. And we did what the game called for. Coach Moore called the game as it needed to be called. Coach Campbell’s going to call the game as it needs to be called. So I’m not trying to be smart in my response, but it’s the reality. I don’t think anyone in this building cares about how sexy something looks, we care about if it works or not. If it doesn’t work, then as coaches we’ve got to reevaluate it and make sure it does. But if we win every game throwing for 500 yards and have two yards rushing, I’ll be happy we won the game. If we rush for 300 yards again and have 32 yards, because that’s what the game called for, I think we’ll be pretty happy, too, because we’re winning games.”
So is there something Michigan sees behind closed doors that we have not yet?
“I think it’s hard to say that just because we haven’t had a game where it’s really kind of required that” Newsome said. “With the USC game last week, we were in a position where we felt comfortable with how the running game was going. And I think Texas is kind of a hard one to evaluate because we put ourselves so far behind the eight ball early in that game. But, no, I don’t think anyone in the building has a lack of confidence in either the ability to pass the football or run the football.”
Where does Michigan’s offense go from here, and how much improvement can it make this late in the game?
“I think the great thing about our offense is, there’s very few schemes we don’t have,” Newsome said. “It’s just one week you may not see it. So it’s in there. It’s in there. It’s stuff we work on in training camp. it’s stuff we work on in spring practice. So it’s just, again, I think, I don’t want to say the term gets overused, but I think sometimes, like, the idea of, offensive identity of we’re this team, we’re this team, well, that’s great until that’s not working. and sometimes, the game calls for something that’s different than what you might have even had the idea of what it was going to be going in. And I think that, again, it comes back to, as players first and foremost, like, they’re unselfish. That’s what the game called for versus USC, and that’s what we went out and executed. So I think that’s just, that’s our plan moving forward, right, is you want to make sure you win every single game.”
The next test comes in the form of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who come to the Big House for a noon kickoff on Saturday via FOX.
