Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore: "Coach Sark has done a really good job with the program"
There’s just as much excitement in Ann Arbor, Mich. for the matchup between the Texas Longhorns and the Michigan Wolverines as there is in Austin, Texas. Just ask Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore.
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“We’re super excited for the challenge,” Moore said Monday. “We know we’ve got a really good football team coming in in all three phases. Coach Sark has done a really good job with the program. On offense, they present challenges because of the way he calls the game, what he does, his creativity, his rhythm. Obviously, they have a really great quarterback. Skill players, fast everywhere. Running back is really good, I know they have the other two that got hurt but the running back they have now is really good, too. The O-line is as good as you’ll see in the country. I know our defense is excited for the challenge.”
The players Quinn Ewers gets to throw to especially caught Moore’s eye. It wasn’t just Isaiah Bond, but also Matthew Golden and Silas Bolden.
“They’re all fast, Moore said. “They’re all playmakers. Bond, we played last year who’s a great playmaker so our guys are familiar with him obviously in a different scheme doing different things. He’s a really good playmaker. They’ve got a transfer from Oregon State and Houston. The big thing that stands out is their speed, their ability to separate. I think Sark does a really good job of putting them in position to showcase their talent.”
Moore is Michigan’s play-caller, just like Sarkisian is for the Longhorns. They operate different styles, but he appreciates what Sark tries to do.
“People see the passing game but ultimately he wants to run the football and do things to control the clock and create a rhythm,” Moore said. “There’s a play and there’s a play off of it. If you see the play action, there’s a play and there’s a play off of it to help it.”
What’s his view of the Longhorn defense?
“Sound,” Moore said. “Not very many mistakes. I think they have four returning starters on defense and they have guys that have played. Super excited for Saturday.”
It took a 17-point fourth quarter for the Wolverines to eventually pull away from Fresno State in their opener. Moore believed his players played hard offensively and they found a rhythm at the end of the game, but admitted there are things to clean up fundamentally in his run game.
On Davis Warren, who took most of the snaps at QB for Michigan, was described as a “fighter” by Moore. He has had multiple battles with cancer and walked-on with the Wolverine program. Moore was effusive in his praise for Warren off the field and as a teammate.
How’d he play on the field?
“He was great,” Moore said. “Eyes weren’t too big. He was super calm. He was in the moment one play at a time. He did great.”
Why did he win the job over Alex Orji?
“Ultimately, Davis just practiced better overall,” Moore said. “Completion percentage was higher, and made more plays against our defense. Orji didn’t completely lose it, but I think Davis just took it and won it.”
No matter who is playing quarterback, the featured Wolverine player on offense is tight end Colston Loveland. Moore was asked what would happen if the Longhorns put a considerable amount of attention onto the star tight end. He expressed belief in the other featured players in his offense.
“We’ll go onto the next read,” Moore said. “We’ve got a lot of other weapons.
More notes from Moore
- Moore played O-line at Oklahoma, but downplayed any Horns Down ideas entering his head: “I’m just ready to win cause we’re at Michigan.”
- There were a few other questions about late game two-point conversion decisions, Moore’s run game, and how a team develops between week two and week twelve.
- Moore also fielded questions about his own wide receivers and said there was a need for them to clean things up on that end.
- It sounds like two quarterbacks will play against the Longhorns in Warren and Orji. Moore mentioned that putting both out there and showing that they can perform against opponents helps build their confidence.
- Moore said quarterback Jack Tuttle is “working through some things. He’ll be back throwing here even more and will be in a good place. We’ll see whenever he gets back.”
- On the O-line: “Never where you want it to be. It’s definitely got to get better, but I thought the attitude and I thought the strain was there. The details and the technique have to continue to get better, and that’s a product of it’s your first game as an offensive line.” — “I expect those guys to be a lot better and I know Coach Newsome will work them hard this week.”
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- Where did Will Johnson grow the most?: “You saw him grow as a leader off the field. Really, his work ethic – you see it on the field.”
