Michigan co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore is 'beyond ready' to be a head coach: Here are two possibilities

Michigan Wolverines football co-offensive coordinator and line coach has been a rising star in the coaching profession over the last several years. A former Oklahoma offensive lineman, he started his career as a graduate assistant at Louisville (2009-11), before being promoted to tight ends coach (2012-13). He mentored that position at Central Michigan (2014-17), before joining the Michigan staff in 2018.

Moore coached the Wolverines’ tight ends from 2018-20, before being promoted to offensive line coach and co-coordinator in 2021. His group won the Joe Moore Award for the nation’s best offensive line a year ago, and is a semifinalist for the honor this season. The Maize and Blue could become the first-ever repeat winner.

The Michigan assistant has also had a larger hand in the offense this year, splitting duties with quarterbacks coach and fellow co-coordinator Matt Weiss. The program has not revealed many details about the play calling operation, but the unit has been run smoothly, by all accounts. Michigan ranks seventh nationally in scoring offense with 39.8 points per game and finished the regular season 12-0.

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With the regular season over with, it’s coaching carousal season. And successful teams like Michigan typically lose at least one coach who moves up to a more prominent position. Moore could be next in line, and head coach Jim Harbaugh believes he should be.

“Sherrone Moore — the possibility of winning the Moore Award for a second year in a row,” Harbaugh began during his Monday press conference ahead of his team’s Big Ten championship game matchup with Purdue. “Athletic directors calling — ’hey, is Sherrone Moore ready to be a head coach?’ Beyond ready to be a head coach, Sherrone Moore.”

Moore may well receive interest this offseason, with The Athletic‘s Bruce Feldman naming him as a “big name to watch” in the Stanford coaching search. Former Cardinal head man David Shaw recently stepped down after his second consecutive 3-9 campaign.

“Moore doesn’t have Stanford ties but we think he might be tempting for the Cardinal to consider,” Feldman wrote. “His offensive line unit won last year’s Joe Moore Award and the Wolverines are even more deserving of it this year.

“The 36-year-old Moore has been instrumental in Harbaugh turning this team into the bully of the Big Ten and dominating arch-rival Ohio State the past two years. People inside the program are huge believers in Moore. He’s also shown this season that he has a good feel as a play caller. Michigan staffers rave about Moore’s ability to connect with the players and say that players will run through a wall for him, in part because he’s very genuine.

“If Stanford is trying to re-create what Harbaugh did there almost two decades ago, Moore, a former Oklahoma offensive lineman, might be a very attractive option in getting it done. Expect him to be a college head coach in the not-too-distant future.”

Colorado sites have also listed Moore as a potential candidate for the Buffaloes’ opening. He “makes a lot of sense,” according to BuffaloesWire.com’s Matt Wadleigh.

“Do the Buffs roll with a first-time head coach? That remains to be seen, but the money to pay a top-tier name probably isn’t there due to the massive buyout for [fired head coach] Karl Dorrell,” Wadleigh added.

Colorado has gone under .500 in five of the last six seasons.

Michigan coordinators do ‘incredible’ job in win over Ohio State

Michigan beat Ohio State in Columbus over the weekend, winning the rivalry game for the second straight season. Down junior running back Blake Corum — a Heisman Trophy contender who played just 5 snaps — and senior EDGE Mike Morris (11 snaps), the Wolverines were able to win in blowout fashion, 45-23.

Harbaugh gave all of the credit to the assistant coaches and players after the game, and expanded on the job his coordinators did Monday.

“It was incredible,” the Michigan coach said. “The coordinators — Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale on defense. Offensively, Sherrone Moore and Matt Weiss. Jay Harbaugh on special teams. The level of preparation and level of detail, it was Super Bowl like.

“We understand, this is like having a Super Bowl every year. When you’re at Michigan, you get to play in the Super Bowl every year. It was treated as such by our coaches, especially the coordinators.

“I can’t say enough of good things. The amount of preparation and detail that went into this game and, ultimately, the performance of our team, they were directly responsible.”

Yes sir so proud of our TEAM and especially my boys up front! I love this team with all my heart! #GoBlue🔵 #Hail〽️ #SMASH👊🏾 https://t.co/laBKmYU32w

— Sherrone Moore (@Coach_SMoore) November 26, 2022