Michigan Football: Sherrone Moore shares plan to improve offensive production

Chris Breiler | Sep 10, 2024

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, center, watches warm up before the Texas game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 7, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Michigan Wolverines

Sherrone Moore made his weekly appearance on "Inside Michigan Football" on Monday, where he reflected on the loss to Texas and discussed ways he plans to make improvements moving forward. When it comes to the offense specifically, Moore says that "simplicity" is name of the game, and that establishing the run can open up things in the passing attack. He also said the the play of the offensive line simply needs to be better.

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore calls a play against Texas during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 7, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Here's everything he said about the offense on Monday:

On challenges with offensive production

"Obviously the turnovers, turnovers will... in this game with had three of them. A tipped pass off of a miscommunication on a route concept, and then the fumble. So I think whenever you have turnovers in a game it's not going to create a rhythm for you. You've got to be able to possess the ball and create long drives. And then on third downs... putting ourselves in longer down and distances and not converting the third downs have been a huge reason why we haven't been able to create the rhythm we needed to.

On the most frustrating part of the offensive struggles

"Probably the biggest thing is that you're one person away or one guy away from being where you need to be. So we just have to continue to stress and strain at every position. It's got to be 11 as one for us to be successful on offense.

On how he would rate the performance of the offensive line

"Not good enough. We've got to be better. You know, I think anytime you lose, you're definitely going to make sure that group understands the mentality and the standard of what we've got to do there. There's some bright spots and some positive things. But for us to be the team we need to be, it has to start with that group. So we've got to definitely improve in that group.

On the plan for improvement

"For us I think it's simplicity. For us, what we do on offense, we've got to just make it simpler for them. We've got to do less in order to help them out and give the all the looks they can possibly get. Because this is a different group than last year and the years before whereas you could practice a play and only give them one rep and, you know, if the left side got it then the right side got it, just based on they just watched the left side do it. Whereas this group, they need all the reps to do it to be successful. So for us it's going to be, you know, make the packages a little smaller on offense. Do some things to help them to bring out their strengths, and I think that will help those guys be more successful."

On how he would evaluate the play of his quarterbacks

"I thought Davis [Warren] overall he played good. I mean he didn't play exceptional, but he also didn't put the ball in harms way a lot... because the interceptions that happened, one was a tipped pass and the other one we didn't cross the face of the safety. So both of those, if the receiver makes a play, then it's not an interception. We're talking about a whole different thing. And then the fumble was on Colston, which we talked about. So he did some really good things and he took care of the ball for the most part. The two picks, you know, it's terrible that it happened because it looks like he threw two picks...and we as ball catchers, receivers, tight ends...we have to make plays to help him as well.

On how to develop more chemistry between the QBs and WRs

"I think we start with the run game and how we impact the run game to help those guys be more successful so that the passing game can open up even more. So for us, it's going to be about balance, how we develop it, and this week making the plan simpler to help those guys in the run and the pass game."

On making personnel moves to spark the offense

"I think really, you don't want to... like I told them, we're going to have a sense of urgency, but we're not going to panic. And I go back to last year of, you know, we had J.J. [McCarthy]. He was an established quarterback but he threw three picks in a game, and you could have easily panicked and said let's take J.J. out. But for us, it's going to be for the whole process for us to work together. We can't panic and make these changes all of the sudden. We've just got to make sure we do what we can that's best for the team. And if we go through practice this week and we feel like somebody else is better at a certain position, then yeah we'll make those changes. Whoever we think is going to help Michigan win, that's who we're going to play."

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