The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1516256
MARCH 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 19 helped put me in the position that I am today. I'm always grateful for him. He's forever a Michigan man and a Michigan legend." With that, the Moore era began, and fans immediately embraced the long- time heir apparent whose time had come. They gave a resounding round of applause at the Michigan hockey game Jan. 26 when it was first announced; a day later, Moore got a standing ovation at the Wolverines' basketball game with Iowa. "I'm humbled, honored to represent this great university as your head foot- ball coach," Moore said during a break in the action in the first half, with several of his key returning players by his side. "We wouldn't be in this position with- out these guys, the players. They're the reason why we're here, why we'll con- tinue to stay and keep this thing rolling. Thank you fans for all the support and making The Big House the loudest place in the country to play and continue that this year. "We've got eight home games. We need that thing packed, [as] loud as you can be, so we can smash everybody, ev- ery game." The emphasis on "smash" was no accident. The Wolverines' offense has physically dominated since Moore took over as offensive line coach in 2021, get- ting back to Harbaugh's roots in help- ing design an elite running game. The Michigan offensive line dominated for two straight years in earning back-to- back Joe Moore Awards under his tute- lage in 2021 and '22, the first time in the award's history. In addition, running back Blake Corum was in the running for the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and might have won it had he stayed healthy. The Wolverines had a back top 1,300 yards rushing for the second straight season (Hassan Haskins posted 1,327 yards in 2021, and Corum reached 1,463 in 2022), and the play up front was a big reason why. Teams schemed to take away the run this season, so Moore, in his first year calling plays as sole OC (replacing Matt Weiss), adjusted and put more on junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy's plate. They still didn't air it out, but they were never really challenged until a Week 10 game at Penn State. Even then, in Moore's second game as interim head coach, the Wolverines controlled the contest with outstanding complementary football and won comfortably, 24-15. Don't expect the first-year coach to change much from that formula now that he's in charge. "Every single day our program will be in pursuit to see how as a team, on and off the field, we can strive to be the best organization in football," he said. "I told this to the team [on Day 1] — we're go- ing to operate this thing from now on in three phases — the process, the pursuit and the standard. "We've already started the process … we continue to talk about the process over the prize, and the prize we got. But we're hungry for more. Now we're in the 'pursuit' — the pursuit of greatness." MOORE 'CHECKED ALL THE BOXES' TO EARN HIS OPPORTUNITY And make no mistake — greatness is the expectation at Michigan. Moore will ultimately be judged on wins and losses in Ann Arbor, just like every other coach anywhere else. Much more experienced coaches with great success at other schools failed miserably — some (like Rich Rodriguez, 2008-10) at Michigan — and many believe the U-M coach has a hand tied behind his back with NIL being be- hind the curve. But Moore seems to be the right guy at the right time to A) keep the 2024 team from falling apart (see: Alabama) and B) carry momentum into the future. He's got a great football mind, is likeable, should be a great recruiter and has learned from one of the best in Harbaugh. "It makes sense on so many levels in terms of leadership, in terms of the right man for the job, but also in terms of the timing in college football," former Michi- gan All-American and current color ana- lyst Jon Jansen said. "Stability right now means so much. You see Nick Saban step- ping down at Alabama, you have coaches moving all over the place, and now you've got players moving all over the place. "To be able to be stable at Michigan with the next head coach already be- ing on the staff, already being familiar, already caring, the players liking him — that's not what this hire is about, but it is a piece of the puzzle." So far, it's probably helped keep most ❱ Moore "Every single day our program will be in pursuit to see how as a team, on and off the field, we can strive to be the best organization in football. I told this to the team [on Day 1] — we're going to operate this thing from now on in three phases — the process, the pursuit and the standard."