What is the story about?
Michigan
Football head coach Sherrone Moore met with the media on Monday morning to preview the game this Saturday against Ohio State (noon, FOX). Here is a recap of the key things he had to say.
- With Bryce Underwood being an in-state kid, Moore said he is “well educated on the rivalry” and that he is going to stick to his normal weekly routines. He was asked a followup question later on, and he said they try to educate the players about this game year round.
- Moore’s message to the fans: “Be the loudest, most ravenous, craziest, energetic environment that we’ve had in Michigan Stadium ever. That’s what we want it to be.” You heard him, Michigan fans!
- “What people think, what people say” outside the building doesn’t matter, per Moore, regarding Michigan potentially having a “mental edge” over Ohio State. “All that matters is how we prepare.”
- On what led to flipping the rivalry in favor of the Wolverines: “Our players playing really well in those games … that’s ultimately been the difference.
- Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith form one of the best wide receiver duos in the country, and Moore and the Wolverines are ready for the challenge they present. “It’s potent, man. It’s one of the best in the country … they’ve got elite players everywhere on the field from a skill position standpoint. It’s a challenge I know our defense is ready to go take on.”
- Former OSU assistant coach Tony Alford has “been outstanding … a home run hire” from a recruiting and development standpoint, per Moore. The way the running backs work, practice and play are indicative of how Alford coaches them.
- “I don’t think anything changes the intensity. This is as intense of a rivalry you’ll see in sports,” is what Moore said regarding Ohio State potentially not having as much intensity and not as much to play for compared to Michigan. When asked a followup on how intensity fits with what Michigan wants to do on the field, Moore said, “The way this place is built, what Michigan is all about … we want the physical battle, we want the toughness, we want the violence, that’s what we want.”
- Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey has been a part of a great rivalry in the Iron Bowl, but this is his first Michigan-Ohio State game. Moore said he has talked with Lindsey about The Game, and that, “It’s different, you can’t describe it … it’s an intensity, it’s just an aura about it that you can’t describe until you get on the field … it’s the best rivalry in sports, in my opinion.”
- When asked about a couple of Ohio State’s defensive players, Moore said that Arvell Reese is “as elite as an edge rusher we’ve seen all year,” and that Caleb Downs is “probably one of the smartest players in college football.” “Both those players are elite players that we’ve got to deal with.”
- Moore said wide receiver Andrew Marsh has come a long way this season. Moore said that Marsh wasn’t able to line up all over the place at the beginning of the season but “now we can put him all over the field.”
- When asked about the flag planting situation at Ohio State last year, Moore said they have discussed that and won’t be doing anything like that moving forward and want to avoid any/all postgame interactions. The goal is to celebrate with the student section and the band following wins at home and have a “cordial ending and be done with it.”
- It was “huge” for Dominic Zvada to make the 46-yard field goal at Maryland last weekend, Moore said, from a confidence standpoint. Moore said he “obviously hasn’t kicked as good as he’s wanted to throughout the year, but (he’s) made the ones that we’ve needed him to.”
- A few keys to the game, per Moore: win the line of scrimmage, and to not let outside noise control their preparation and the overall process.
