Michigan Football: Sherrone Moore talks quarterback battle, offensive line, and mentality ahead of 2024 season

Chris Breiler | Jul 25, 2024

Jul 25, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Sherrone Moore took the main stage at Big Ten Media Days on Thursday to discuss a wide range of topics about his football program. Not surprisingly, much of the conversation surrounded defending their status as National Champions, the offensive line, and the quarterback battle. Here's everything Moore had to say about Team 145.

Jul 25, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Opening statement

"Team 145 has done a really good job up to this point in taking the necessary steps to be elite, to do all the things that we set out to do. Win the big games, beat our rivals, beat Ohio State. Win the Big Ten, go to the College Football Playoff and win it. First that's something we strive to do. Tough, smart, dependable, relentless, enthusiastic, and together...that's how I describe our team. We're going to do everything we can to strive for perfection. Everything we do every day is a process, and we'll continue to strive to do that. And we'll continue to do that with contagious enthusiasm unknown to mankind."

On being hunted as defending National Champions

"For us, it's about getting better every day. And we're always hunting, regardless of whether people are coming after us or we're coming after them. So for us, we're not in the mentality of sitting back and waiting to see what goes on. We're going to attack our process. We're going to work our tails off to make sure we're doing the best things we can possible the way we know to be successful"

On the offensive line

"Our players have done an outstanding job of keeping the culture, keeping the togetherness, the brotherhood. And really, it's a testament to them. Bringing in the right staff was a huge piece for us, bringing in the right people. Coach [Grant] Newsome has done an unbelievable job mentoring and leading our offensive linemen, and all those players have really taken the reigns. They've seen what it looks like, what it feels like, what it means to practice that way for us to be really good up front. So being the head coach, obviously having the offensive line background, I'm going to take a lot of pride in making sure that line is ready to go when we it game one."

On the quarterback battle

"All of those guys have all the attributes you need to be a successful starting quarterback at the University of Michigan and a lot of other universities. We're super blessed to have all of those guys. Everybody has their own traits and their own things that make them a little different, but I think the No. 1 thing we're looking for out of any guy that is our starting quarterback is, one, that they're a playmaker. That they can make plays, that they'll make the right decision, that they'll take care of the football, and that they want to win. And they'll do anything for the team to win. So really we're going to look for those attributes and go from there."

On timeline to announce starting quarterback

"The ideal timeline is when we feel like the guy that's going to help us win. There's not really a date, there's not really a time. We'll have a good feel as a staff. We've got really good coaches... Kirk Campbell is a phenomenal coach. He's going to do an outstanding job with our offense. So I know he's going to make a great decision, and we'll be there to make it together."

On hires of former Ohio State staff members

"Talk about two outstanding individuals. Well-rounded, well educated, well trusted. People that... I've known Tony [Alford] for a very long time and have a tremendous amount of respect for him and what he's done in the business. And Erin, not as much, but heard tremendous things about her. We just want great people in our program. Great mentors of young men that are going to lead our players to a great place. So that was really the back end behind that and I'm excited to watch their work as we go through the future."

On how close is Michigan is to being a National Championship contender again

"Every year for us, our goal is to win that. We're not going to stray away from the goal of trying to win it all every year. When you're at Michigan, that should be your goal every single year. For our team, it will take shape in training camp. And then it take shape in Game 1 and Game 2 to see where we're at. Feel very confident about our team, very excited about our team. Every team is different, you know. Team 142, 3 and 4... they're all different. So I'm excited to see where 145 is."

On assembling his staff

"It was a process that I really had to go through and take my time with it. Some happened a little faster than others. And I feel like we got the right mix, the right group of people to lead our program. Number one, they had to be people. Then great teachers and people that cared about our student-athletes in a great way. And I feel like we got that with all of our staff members."

On what he's doing as head coach to keep the program operating at a championship level

"The number one thing I did is bring in the right staff, bring in the right people around our players. I've got to be a better delegator, and I think I've tried to do that as fast as I can. But for me, it's leaning on those mentors that I had in the past, those people like coach Harbaugh... talking to him, understanding how he built this program. Being blessed enough to be here for the last six years has been phenomenal for me. So, for me now, it's putting my own flavor on it, but not changing too much because obviously there's a lot of things that worked. But anything we can do to get better every single day, we're going to try to do."

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