Sherrone Moore expects one wide receiver's role to grow more and more each week

Trent Knoop | Oct 15, 2024

Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Through seven weeks -- six games -- Michigan has the 131st-ranked passing offense in college football. There are just three teams who average fewer yards per game through the air than the Wolverines and two of them are service academies.

There are multiple reasons behind the Wolverines' lackluster passing attack. Michigan is now on its third starting quarterback of the season once Jack Tuttle starts on Saturday against Illinois. Davis Warren began the season and was benched in favor of Alex Orji who started two games before Tuttle took over against Washington. Outside of the quarterback play, the Wolverines' pass protection has been spotty at best and the right side of the line has had plenty of bumps along the way.

But then there are also the receivers. Michigan's leading wide receiver -- not counting tight ends -- is Semaj Morgan who has just 78 yards through six games in 2024. Morgan is also the only wide receiver who has more than 10 catches -- Morgan has 13. Michigan is having a hard time getting its receivers to create the separation needed for its quarterbacks. When you don't get elite quarterback play, you need your playmakers to help out and that's one thing the Wolverines' playmakers have done so far.

Head coach Sherrone Moore was asked about the passing game and more specifically, the turnover issues. Michigan has 12 turnovers so far this year and is -4 in turnover ratio. Moore pointed toward the passing game and wanted to get that fixed during the bye week.

"Yeah, I mean, I looked at everything," Moore said of the turnover issues. "The biggest thing in the picks was either route distribution and timing of the throw. Protection was one, but really it was that, and so when you get a mistimed route and a mistimed throw, that's what happens. So we got to really focus on, again, the little things, the route detail, the precision of the throw, the precision of the route, making sure those things are all time up, and then putting guys in a position to make sure they're successful. So moving guys around in different places, which I think we did a really good job with this past week, and excited to see them as we practice this week go."

Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

One player who could come in and elevate the passing attack is junior Amorion Walker. The big-bodied receiver finally made a small impact on the Michigan passing game in Washington. He came in and caught a 22-yard strike from Jack Tuttle and showed the capability of helping the Wolverines move the sticks. But he saw just nine total snaps in the game -- a season-high. Moving forward, coach Moore expects to see Walker's role grow in the Michigan offense.

"Yeah, confidence, man. He's such a talented kid," Moore said of Walker. "And confidence and knowledge of the system, knowing the system, and us just moving him around different places. And, yeah, definitely going to have a role here a little bigger as we grow. And he's, you know, started last week and really gotten it this week and excited to watch him grow this week."

You can check out the Wolverines' passing offense with Tuttle in charge on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

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