The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THEWOLVERINE.COM | $18.95 THEWOLVERINE.COM | $18.95 EVERYBODY'S EVERYBODY'S ALL-AMERICAN ALL-AMERICAN 2023 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW Michigan And Senior BLAKE CORUM Are Ready To Run It Back For More TWO EASY WAYS TO ORDER: CALL: 800-421-7751 10:00-4:00 ET, Mon.-Fri. Or call 919-688-0218 if outside the continental U.S. ONLINE: www.TheWolverineOnDemand.com Order 24 hours a day from our online store! Preorder today! THE 2024 THE 2024 MICHIGAN MICHIGAN FOOTBALL FOOTBALL PREVIEW PREVIEW 40 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW RISING STAR Talking Football And Team Culture With Offensive Coordinator/O-Line Coach Sherrone Moore, One Of The Nation's Top Young Coaches After two seasons as co-offensive coordinator at U-M, Moore will have sole responsibility in that role in 2023 while continuing to coach the offensive line unit. PHOTO BY DOMINICK SOKOTOFF 40-43.Sherrone Moore.indd 40 40-43.Sherrone Moore.indd 40 6/19/23 1:29 PM 6/19/23 1:29 PM THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 41 BY CHRIS BALAS J im Harbaugh didn't have to look far when he opted to make a move to a new offensive line coach in 2021. Former line coach Ed Warinner had improved the group in his three years on the job, but Michigan's head coach was ready for some new blood to take the line to another level, understanding that's where games are still won and lost in the Big Ten. For three years, Sherrone Moore had shined in his role as tight ends coach and as a recruiter, proving his worth as one of the best up-and-coming young coaches in the game. The former collegiate line- man at Oklahoma was the obvious choice for Harbaugh, and not just because so many programs in the country had taken notice of him. Harbaugh knows young coaching talent when he sees it, one of the reasons many consider his 2023 staff the best he's had yet at Michigan. Harbaugh also added co-offensive coor- dinator duties to Moore's title in 2021. This year, Moore will handle it by himself with Matt Weiss having been let go, the next step toward becoming a head coach some- where in the near future … and frankly, the Wolverines were fortunate to keep him this year. He had opportunities, including one Power Five school to the west that offered and several others that were interested. Moore, though, had made it clear he loves it at Michigan. He's also in a posi- tion now in which he can be choosy, and for that he thanks Harbaugh. "He's everything [to my career]," Moore said in an exclusive to The Wolverine. "He's a special human, a great friend, and some- body I can call a friend for life … a brother for life. He's done so much. He gave me so many opportunities … to see some things in me maybe I didn't see in myself. "I'm forever indebted to him. I will do anything for him. That's my guy. He means everything to me in my career. I'm just so thankful to have him in my life." Rest assured, Harbaugh feels the same about his protégé. The impact Moore has had not only on the program, but also his players' lives, has played as big a role as any in the program's turnaround after a rock bottom 2020 season. Though some might call him a "players' coach" given how much his players love and respect him, he's certainly no pushover. He sets a high bar for his guys both on and off the field, and he demands their best. When he doesn't get it, they're made well aware it's not good enough. Moore sets the expectation every day, grad student offensive guard Trevor Keegan said, and has earned all the praise he's received. "He's one of those younger coaches who is hungry, trying to fight and prove themselves. Being a tight ends coach, of- fensive line coach, offensive coordina- tor, it just shows his track record of hard work," Keegan said. "It trickles down on us. He lets us be who we want to be, and as offensive linemen, we're kind of the funny goofy guys. "But …" But they also know when it's time to fall in line. "We know when we have to be serious," Keegan said. "But it's not all business. He knows when we can be goofy to make the moment not as big, maybe crack a joke or something. "We have the best culture of any room in the nation, I feel like, just because of the guys we have, and Coach Moore lets us be like that. He's definitely changed this program forever — forever. What he's done for us personally and what he's done for the program is insane." To the point that some in the building believe he could be the Michigan head coach down the line. Through it all, Moore has remained humble and grounded. That demeanor comes through in every interview and was on display again in this Q&A with the Michigan offensive coordinator. The Wolverine: It's hard to read an ar- ticle about Michigan football today with- out people speculating on your future as a potential head coach . Even Jim Har- baugh brings it up, that you're " ready." How much do you think about your future in that respect? Sherrone Moore: "I don't think about it at all; I really just think about the now. People always bring that up, and it's cool to have the opportunity to hear people talk about it. But I'm just really focused on right now, on myself and the thought process of being 'in the now' without try- ing to think about too far ahead in the future. "I'm trying to figure out what's going to be best for today. I want to do every- thing I can to help us win every ball game this year." The Wolverine: This will be your first year as sole offensive coordinator after sharing the duties the last two years. How does your role change, if at all? And how might it affect the time you have to coach the offensive line? Moore: "Probably the biggest adjust- ment in the game will be calling all the plays. The adjustment for me off the field was just the management of everything. I kind of took that in my own doing that last year a little bit, but just having the full responsibility with the title and what coach has done with the staff — it's tre- mendous. It helps me out so much. "We work so well together. I told the staff, 'It's not my offense … it's every- body's offense.' We're going to do every- thing we can to make sure it's good. The adjustment in the offensive line is just to let the guys I have help me. I've got a 40-43.Sherrone Moore.indd 41 40-43.Sherrone Moore.indd 41 6/19/23 1:29 PM 6/19/23 1:29 PM Page samples from a previous edition. 48 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW One-Man ShOw There Is No Quarterback Controversy For U-M In 2023 BY CHRIS BALAS O ver the last several years, one of the biggest question marks surround- ing the Michigan football program centered on the quarterback position — specifically, who would be "the guy?" In 2020, Joe Milton earned the nod before losing his job to Cade McNamara and eventually transferring to Tennes- see. McNamara helped lead the Wolver- ines to a Big Ten title in 2022, but fresh- man J.J. McCarthy was pushing him hard and then took the job away from the incumbent as a sophomore in 2022 with an outstanding showing in a Game 2 start versus Hawaii. This year, everyone knows it's McCar- thy's show. The only question marks are "How much will he throw?" and "How good can he be?" The sky's the limit under first-year quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell. Campbell worked closely with the U-M signal-callers as an analyst last year and has the respect of the room … especially for how he's helped McCarthy elevate his game. "He's just playing on time, playing in rhythm, taking what's given to him, not forcing things, and just being surgical," junior backup quarterback Davis Warren reported of McCarthy in June. "That's the best way to describe it. He just knows where he's going with the football and is super decisive with it. "That's really im- pressed me, and some credit goes to Coach C a m p b e l l . H e 's done a really good job of helping us p l ay o n t i m e a n d p l a y i n rhythm." But a lot of credit goes to McCarthy, who never seems to stop work- ing on his craft. He's added 12 pounds of good weight in the offseason and continues to get stron- ger. "When you look at his face, there's just less baby fat … I think he's got his 'man' year that some often do around 18, 19 years old," head coach Jim Har- baugh said in June. "He's a very young guy. But his face is just more mature. It's like the baby fat's gone, and it's been natu- ral. It hasn't been [only] because he was bulking up in the gym. "He had a tremendous spring. He truly epitomizes 'better today than yes- terday, better tomorrow than today' as anybody I've ever been around." His teammates would be wise to follow him, Har- baugh reiterated, and not just because of his accom- plishments. Yes, he put up great numbers in his first year — 2,719 yards with 22 touchdowns and 5 inter- ceptions, plus 70 rushes for 306 yards and 5 more scores — but it's how he goes about his business that's most impressive. "He's got the willingness to do anything for anybody on the team. "I look at the great quarterbacks like Josh Allen [Buffalo Bills] and Patrick Ma- homes [Kansas City Chiefs]. You can just tell by looking at how they play the game and what they say — especially about their teammates," Harbaugh said. "There's a willingness there to do anything, and that's the secret sauce in a quarterback. You could have all the different attributes, which Patrick Ma- homes and Josh Allen have, and so does J.J. But they also have that willingness to do anything for their teammates." Campbell's addition has been huge for the room, too, and has helped with Mc- Carthy's progression this spring. He was the obvious choice to replace Matt Weiss, who was let go for an undisclosed off- field incident. [ Q U A R T E R B A C K S ] WIN-LOSS RECORDS OF HARBAUGH-ERA STARTING QBS Player Years Record* Win Pct. J.J. McCarthy 2022 12-1 .923 Cade McNamara 2020-22 14-3 .824 Wilton Speight 2016-17 12-3 .800 Jake Rudock 2015 10-3 .769 Shea Patterson 2018-19 19-7 .731 Brandon Peters 2017 2-2 .500 John O'Korn 2016-17 2-3 .400 Joe Milton 2020 1-3 .250 *Games started and finished Junior J.J. McCarthy went 13-1 in his first season as a starter a year ago, leading Michigan to the Big Ten championship and a berth in the Col- lege Football Playoff. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL 48-51.QBs.indd 48 48-51.QBs.indd 48 6/19/23 1:39 PM 6/19/23 1:39 PM THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 49 [ Q U A R T E R B A C K S ] "I absolutely love Kirk," McCarthy said." It's not just the fact that he's a wizard in the pass game and with developing quarterbacks — it's also because he's a great friend, a great brother. "When you can have that rela- tionship with the coach, they can push through so many limitations and e x c e e d e x p e c t a t i o n s with my growth and his. We feed off each other. It's really special, and I'm just extremely grateful to have him here." The Battle For No. 2 B e h i n d M c - Carthy are a hand- ful of players who have promise, but only one with significant game experience. Indiana quarterback Jack Tuttle battled in- juries in Bloomington and wasn't the full-time starter in any of his years, but he was a valuable backup for the Hoosiers and could be for Michigan, too. He played in one game last sea- son, completing 9 of 12 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown in mop-up duty of a blowout loss to Penn State, but he has Big Ten experience. Tuttle went 6-for-12 passing for 57 yards with 1 interception and a fumble in the Michigan spring game. He ran 8 times for 32 yards (not in- cluding sacks), though, in showing his versatility. Warren didn't have quite the spring game he did a year earlier when he looked the part of a poten- tial future starter. Like Tuttle, he also threw a bad pick, but he still com- pleted 8 of 13 passes for 163 yards with several nice throws. Sophomore Jayden Denegal im- proved a lot in the spring, Harbaugh said, and is added depth for now. Of all of them, sophomore Alex Orji, used at times in the wildcat for- PRESEASON ANALYSIS STARTER ★★★★★ Junior J.J. McCarthy led Michigan to a 13-1 season in his first year as a starter, and there's still plenty of room for growth. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said he'd like more of a 50-50 split between run and pass this year, and he's got the quarterback to do it. McCarthy did a good job protecting the ball most of the season (minus the Fiesta Bowl loss to TCU in which he threw two pick sixes) … they'll likely ask him to do more this year with both his arm and his feet. DEPTH ★★★ There are a lot of bodies here, but none of them are really proven. Junior Davis Warren has shown flashes in spring games (and in mop-up duty against Hawaii) and can make all the throws. Indiana grad transfer Jack Tuttle has some Big Ten experience, but he was a backup at IU and didn't play a ton. We love Alex Orji's upside, but he's a sophomore with little game experience. Bottom line: There's a huge drop-off be- tween McCarthy and the rest. OVERALL ★★★★ McCarthy is arguably the most impor- tant player on this year's team from a health standpoint. There's talented depth at every other position, and while there is true upside in those behind McCarthy, this isn't like past years in which there wasn't much difference between No. 1 and No. 2. There's no quarterback con- troversy this season — it's J.J. McCarthy's team, and he enters the season as the best in the Big Ten. [ Q U A R T E R B A C K S ] THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 49 QUICK FACTS Position Coach: Kirk Campbell (First year coaching quarterbacks, second overall at U-M) Returning Starters: J.J. McCarthy (13 career starts) Departing Starters: Cade McNamara (17) Projected New Starter: N/A Top Reserves: Davis Warren, Jack Tuttle, Alex Orji Wait Until 2024: Jayden Denegal Newcomers: Kendrick Bell Moved In: Tuttle Moved Out: McNamara, Alan Bowman Rookie Impact: N/A Most Improved Player: McCarthy Best Pro Prospect: McCarthy Junior Davis Warren saw limited action in five games last season, complet- ing 5 of 9 passes for 89 yards. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL ❱ Junior J.J. McCarthy became the winningest U-M signal-caller without a loss to start a career by winning his first 12 starts under center, breaking the record previously set by Dennis Franklin in 1971, who was victorious in his first 10 starts. McCarthy's 2,719 yards passing were the eighth- most in a single season at U-M, while his 22 touchdown passes in 2022 are tied for No. 6 with Chad Henne (2006) and Shea Patterson (2018). John Navarre stands alone at the top of U-M's single-season passing chart, throwing for 3,331 yards in 2003. Elvis Grbac (1991) and Henne (2004) are tied for first in program history with 25 touchdown passes in a single season. ❱ McCarthy was elite in play-action situations last season, grading out at 92.8 in that category by Pro Football Focus. He completed 55 of 80 passes (68.8 percent) for 1,111 yards with 9 touch- downs and an interception out of play-action concepts. Deep balls were a concern on film last year, but PFF graded him at 90.7 on passes of 20 yards or more, completing 22 of 56 long balls for 801 yards, 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. ❱ Lindy's Sports ranked McCarthy No. 7 in its QB rankings and No. 8 on its Heisman watch list, saying: "Athletic and tough, but will have to share the credit with Michigan's talented running backs." ❱ Graduate student Jack Tuttle (Indiana) is the fifth transfer quarterback brought into U-M since the 2015 season, joining Jake Rudock (Iowa), John O'Korn (Houston), Shea Patterson (Ole Miss) and Alan Bowman (Texas Tech). He is expected to compete for the backup quarterback job with junior Davis Warren in fall camp. 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