With the first game just a few days away, Sherrone Moore sat down for his weekly appearance on the “Inside Michigan Football” radio show. Here’s a rundown of everything the new head coach had to say:
With the start of the regular season just a few days away, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore sat down for his first appearance of the year on the “Inside Michigan Football” radio show. As the new head man, appearances on the radio program will become a weekly part of Moore’s routine, giving fans a glimpse at the team’s preparation and progress throughout the year.
On this week’s edition, Moore chatted with Jon Jansen about some developments from the end of fall camp, such as the quarterback and offensive line battles, while also providing a brief look at Fresno State.
Here’s a rundown of everything Moore had to say:
- When speaking broadly about the team getting to the end of fall camp, Moore mentioned the group has grown, “tired of hitting each other” and is ready to take on an actual opponent. However, he noted that during the weeks of fall camp he’s gotten to see the development of “a lot of talent that isn’t talked about.”
- One piece of news we learned last week was that safety Rod Moore was named a captain, despite the limited role he’s expected to have on the field this season as he recovers from an injury. That’s not stopping him from making an impact though. Sherrone Moore noted that Rod Moore is “like a coach on the field” and whenever he’s not rehabbing, he’s coaching up other players and still being vocal in meetings. He even mentioned that Moore still regularly sits in the front and asks as many questions as possible to make sure the other players are up to speed.
- As expected, Moore was asked if he was ready to name a starting quarterback. At this time, a starter still wasn’t announced but he did name Alex Orji and Davis Warren as the frontrunners. He did mention the team will probably find out who’s starting on Thursday, while fans will find out on Saturday. Moore also mentioned he’s been encouraged by the competitiveness, and that the players are, “pushing each other in a positive way.”
- Elsewhere in the quarterback room, Moore mentioned Jayden Denegal and Jadyn Davis have had some solid showings in camp. He also said that as the head coach he’s been attending meetings for various position groups, including the quarterbacks, and he’s been impressed by Kirk Campbell’s ability to teach.
- The competition on the offensive line has been a talking point as well this offseason. Moore mentioned that Myles Hinton, Josh Priebe and Giovanni El-Hadi have solidified starting spots, while the battles at right tackle and center will be resolved in the coming days. At center, it’s down to Greg Crippen and Dominick Giudice, while Evan Link and Andrew Gentry are battling it out at right tackle.
- In terms of potential breakout candidate or under-the-radar skill players, Moore mentioned tight end Marlin Klein “has a freakish skillset” and has gotten a better grasp of the offense. He was also complimentary of receiver C.J. Charleston, saying he’s “super dependable” and is great at making plays with the ball in his hands.
- Jumping to the defensive side of the ball, Moore was complimentary of his new defensive coordinator, calling him the “O.G. of the defense,” while lauding his experience and ability to work with younger players. He also mentioned his track record is rather impressive given he’s coached guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed in the NFL.
- T.J. Guy has been talked about throughout fall camp, and Moore didn’t let up in his praise. He believes Guy is on the same level as Josaiah Stewart and Derrick Moore. This would certainly be a great development as Michigan seeks to have more than just two potential game-wreckers off the edge.
- Elsewhere on the defensive front, Moore said, “We’ve developed some good depth,” mentioning Trey Pierce, Enow Etta and Ike Iwunnah all as guys who have been impressive in recent weeks.
- On special teams, Moore said Tommy Doman will be handling the kickoff duties once again this year, while Arkansas State transfer Dominic Zvada will be the placekicker.
- On the Fresno State front, Moore called the Bulldogs a, “Blue collar team that’s tough and physical.” He also praised their defense for being fundamentally sound, and was complimentary of their quarterback Mikey Keene, who’s coming off a season in which he threw for 2,976 yards and 24 touchdowns.