Michigan Football is on a bye week this Saturday, so it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the season so far. Earlier this week, I posted in The Feed asking you guys to submit some questions a bye week mailbag.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to write a response!
The questions have been tweaked just a bit to condense the story, but I tried to stay true to the point. Here we go.
BradyBoy: How much does Sherrone Moore influence Michigan’s play calling?
In my opinion, I’ve seen enough changes in the offense this year to say Sherrone Moore is actually trusting Chip Lindsey to call the shots. Unlike past situations where a new coach has come in and done an entire overhaul, it seems to me that Lindsey is trying to adapt his system to work with the players around him.
However, he’s just not getting the execution he wants to see from Bryce Underwood and the receivers. That’s when he calls on the running backs, who are actually in a position to execute and do what they need to do. I’ve been critical of the offense and its lack of identity, but that might just be the reality as Lindsey tries to adapt around players who are mostly new to the college game.
Fredfier: Why is the team still struggling at this point in the season? Is it just the fact that these players are so young?
Youth does probably have quite a bit to do with Michigan’s continued struggles. I also think Moore and the rest of the coaching staff are really trying to play a ton of freshmen this season. On the defense, they are rotating a lot of young players in the secondary. Playing all these young guys is a bit of a gamble, but we have seen some great plays from guys like Cole Sullivan and Jayden Sanders, so maybe it’s worth not looking as flashy if you’re helping get guys experience in actual games.
When it comes to Underwood, I think the coaches are still trying to figure out how to set him up for success. After Week 2, Moore said they probably should’ve leaned more on Underwood’s abilities. And then lately, he has been missing some of his throws and failing to connect with receivers. I’m interested to see if there’s any change or growth when they take the field next Saturday.
Bjork: Is it worrying to see Michigan only winning by a close margin, or is it just Moore’s style?
Honestly, I’m not worried about the close margins as much. As I mentioned above, the coaches are rotating in a bunch of young players. It might not necessarily be Moore likes keeping the games close, but it’s that he’s trying to build a team where everyone feels like they have a role to play. He was a part of the teams that really lived by their depth, especially in 2023. It’s just that the depth still needs to be developed.
fido1949: Why is special teams still an issue, and why haven’t we seen any changes at this point in the season?
Moore doesn’t seem to be someone who’s at a point where he’s firing guys in the middle of the season, so I think J.B. Brown will stick around at least through the end of the regular season. That isn’t to say Moore doesn’t see some issues with the unit. Last season, he fired Kirk Campbell after the regular season and brought in Lindsey. The issues with special teams this season are as glaring as the issues with the offense last year, so it wouldn’t surprise me if Brown was either fired or moved elsewhere on the staff after the Ohio State game.
When it comes to the players, I think they’re trying to make some changes, but haven’t found the right solution. The coaches obviously want Semaj Morgan to have a role on this team, but unfortunately, I think he’s been cursed by his near-touchdown run in the Big Ten Championship in 2023. They saw him make that play once, so it always feels possible.
SonicsAaron: How will Jordan Marshall adapt to his role as the team’s No. 1 running back?
I’ve been confident in Marshall since his performance against Alabama last season, and so far, he’s lived up to the hype. Don’t get me wrong, Justice Haynes was electric and quickly won me over, but Marshall is an impressive athlete. He proved he’s going to go out there each week and give it his all. He’s also one of those players that still seems like he’s genuinely enjoying himself when he’s on the field, so hopefully that mentality translates to his teammates as well.
Go_Wolverines: What have the coaches said about the improvements on the offensive line?
Not too long ago, Charles Post wrote a great article about the offensive line and what the coaches were seeing from the young players. Blake Frazier has come in and graded out really positively, according to Pro Football Focus, when it comes to pass blocking. With so many young guys, it bodes well for the future of the offensive line and a strong program Moore wants to build. For all the repetitive issues we’ve seen from other aspects of this team, the offensive line does seem like it’s improving week to week.
