Sherrone Moore is back in more ways than one.
The Michigan Wolverines’ head coach has been reinstated from his two-game suspension and rejoins his program as it enters a bye week. Moore also made his weekly appearance on the “Inside Michigan Football” radio show on Monday night.
“Oh, man, it was the longest eight days, I’d say, of my lifetime,” Moore told host Jon Jansen. “Just thinking about the players, thinking about the staff, thinking about what we can do better, really thought about a lot of things…
“That Sunday after the CMU game, that was probably the worst day knowing that the week was ahead.”
Fortunately for Moore and Michigan, he does not have to stress about missing time anymore. Biff Poggi served honorably in his stead, but he is not Moore, and as they alluded to on the show, a ship needs its captain.
While Moore is likely foaming at the mouth to command the sidelines during game day, it is probably better he has an extra week of settling in and preparation before hosting the Wisconsin Badgers next Saturday.
Naturally, one of the key topics for Moore on the radio show was the offensive line against Nebraska. The unit was terrific, paving the way for a 17-carry, 149-yard, one-touchdown effort by Justice Haynes, a six-carry, 80-yard, one-touchdown outing for Jordan Marshall, and Bryce Underwood, who added 61 yards on eight carries and a touchdown.
Nathan Efobi, who has moved from right guard to left guard for the injured Giovanni El-Hadi, was a particular standout for Moore.
“Just exponential growth from going from right to left,” Moore said. “… He’s done a really good job of being flexible in that and that’s why, in training camp, you put those guys in all the positions… because you never know what’s going to happen.”
Offensive line coach Grant Newsome also joined the show and made a similar comparison with left tackle Evan Link, who was originally slotted at right tackle last year but moved to his more natural left side. Now, he is growing into one of the stalwarts on a steadily improving line.
“Obviously, it’s not perfect, but he’s gotten better every single week,” Newsome said. “From where he was a year ago at this time to where he is now is night and day.”
The Wolverines have had to switch some things up amid injuries, but the heart of this team remains in the trenches.
Quick Hitters
- Joe Taylor is a special teams star
- If you hadn’t been paying attention to the Wolverines’ special teams the last few years, you might have missed No. 39 Joe Taylor. The do-it-all special teamer and alternate captain is one of the unsung (though increasingly respected) heroes. “He takes a lot of pride in what he does, and the team takes a lot of pride in Joe T.,” Moore said.
- Moore’s suspension was not completely useless
- He did not pick up any new hobbies, but Moore did learn a few things while being away from the team. He primarily highlighted film sessions, “Got to watch a lot of football, watch a lot of other teams, which was cool to see it from the outside perspective, because you see things and you confirm things that you already think.” Perhaps he can bring a slightly different view to scouting, film, or any part of the team moving forward.
- Greg Crippen maintains a straightforward view on the offensive line
- The starting center knows the Wolverines are not trying to reinvent the wheel offensively. As one of the key veterans on the offensive line, he must help the younger, less experienced pieces gel. “We want to protect the quarterback and run for as many yards as you can in the game. That’s essentially our job,” Crippen said.
