Everything Michigan HC Sherrone Moore said during his Cheez-it Citrus Bowl teleconference appearance

Opening Statement

First of all, the University of Michigan, our football program, are so excited to be part of the 80th version of this game. It’s a very historic, traditional game, and we’re very excited about it. Our young men are going to be super excited to go participate and have a great game against a very talented Texas opponent. Just want to give a shoutout and thank Steve Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports, for putting on this event and allowing us (to attend). Our football program, finishing 9-3, winning 10 games is a huge deal, so we’re going to do everything we can to put ourselves in the best position this month as we go to and as we travel down there to Orlando in a beautiful environment, beautiful venue to enjoy, but also know we’re there to win a football game and just get better as a football team. So excited to play a great Texas team and open up to questions.

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On what he knows about this Texas team after playing them last season

Yeah, a little bit different, a little less experience, but still a lot of talent. A lot of guys that we played last year, played this year. You know, very, very talented team. Obviously, it starts with Arch at the quarterback position. They’ve got skilled guys all over the place. They do a really good job scheme-wise.

Coach Sarkisian does an outstanding job from an offensive standpoint of scheming up different defenses and executing at a high level. Defensively, they’re fast, they’re physical, good up front. So it’s going to be a great challenge for our program.

On whether Justice Haynes will be available for the bowl game

Yeah, it’s something we’ll look at, and we’ll see. His progress is going really good. So we’ll see. We’ll get more of an answer and clarity as we go through this week.

On whether he believes that playing high-profile games is worth the risk in the modern CFP era

I mean, there’s two ways to think of it, right? Like for our student athletes and for our coaches and for us, to play in those big-time games, that’s why you come to Michigan. I’m sure that’s why they went to Texas to play in those games.

But, you know, to Coach Sarkisian’s point, what happens when you’re judged on those losses at the end of the day, those wins and losses, it can affect you. So I think those are conversations as we get through this. As we get through this season and we get into the college football players’ conversations, those wins and losses matter. And, as a university, you have a certain way of doing things. From conference to conference, you have a certain way of doing things. So those are decisions we’ll have to make as we go through. But we’re excited about the challenge of playing Texas. And we know we’ve got to play them later on down the road.

On whether he thinks Texas is a CFP-caliber program

Yeah, I mean, they do, especially watching that last game against A&M. They played their tails off, they’re physical on defense. Offensively, they’re explosive. They’ve got playmakers all over the place. So, yeah, absolutely, they do.

On meeting with players in the next week and potential opt-outs

Yeah, I mean, for our expectation as we go through the week, these guys got finals in these next two weeks, so they’ll finish those out. But we’ll practice. We have a good steady pace of practices and some skill workout things that we have to stay within the 20-hour rules that we have to do.

So we’ll still have practices as we go out through the week to start to get implemented in the game. Game plan and coaches will start the game plan and already have. But really, it’s going to be about getting better at football. And our young guys, our older guys, everybody is doing that. As far as opt-outs and guys who play in the game, we’ll have more of an answer as we go through the week. There’ll be guys that have already thought about it and what they’re going to do.

A lot more playing than not playing. So that’s a positive. But we’ll have more of an answer as we go through the week.

On the process of hiring Kerry Coombs

Yeah, he brings a lot of energy, excitement, a veteran presence he’s done at a high level. In the NFL, in college, obviously. And then in high school. I think it’s awesome when you’ve brought somebody in that has high school experience. But is an elite recruiter and developer of men. Very excited about the hire. The connection has been built over time. He’s going to do a great job for us.

On whether they have anything in the NIL contracts that incentivizes players to play in bowl games

I think that goes school to school. We just really want guys that want to play in the game. You don’t want to have to promote people based on what they get from rev share or the game to play in the game. You want guys that just want to play football, that want to play another game of football. So those guys that do want to play, just like last year, we had a bunch of guys that wanted to play, and they played their tails off. So we’ll treat that the same.

And the guys that don’t want to play or have other things, and there’s not going to be many of those, I think. So we’ll find out as we go through. But as far as the contracts, I don’t want to really speak on it exactly what we talked about from terms legally.

On why it was important for the program to play in a bowl game

I think another opportunity to go play football, especially against a great opponent on a great stage, is just another opportunity, and why you come to these places like this. So, for us, it felt like it was important not only for the development of our coaches and our players, but just the development of the program, right, and what you get to do. And it’s a reward to be able to go do things like that.

It’s nice. It’s about 20 degrees here, too. So, going to Orlando would be nice for the week, not only for the coaches, the coaches’ families, and the players. We’re really excited about the opportunity that we have to go play in such a high-profile bowl game. And like I said, I can’t speak on everybody else’s decision. But it’s another opportunity for us to go play football and practice, and we’re really excited about it.

On the player response since losing to Ohio State

I mean, yeah, disappointing, right? We were all disappointed. Usually, you give it the 24-hour rule. We gave them more of the 48-hour to let it sit in. But there’s guys chomping at the bit to get back to work. They’ve been working out, doing things, getting their bodies right, healing, recovering throughout these past couple days to make sure they get their minds right and their bodies right to the game. So, there will be a lot of guys excited to go play in this one.

On whether Coombs is in Ann Arbor working and whether he anticipates further staff changes

Yeah, Kerry’s here, starting to work. You know, legally, we’ll get all that stuff binding as far as contract and all that. But he’s here. And as far as other staff changes, not as of yet.

On Ernest Hausmann’s status with the team

Yeah. You know, Ernest is going through some things I don’t really want to talk on or speak on, just things from a personal standpoint. He’s also been dealing with a thumb that happened in the Northwestern game. So, just things that he’s been dealing with. And we’re just here to support him. That’s it.

On clarifying whether he’s expecting any staff changes at this time

Yeah, no. No, I’m not.

On whether Coombs will coach in the bowl game and Jordan Marshall’s status

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, Kerry will coach in the game. And then, yeah, Jordan will be great. He fought through that. He had a shoulder that was dinged up in the game before. Fought through it, man, and tried as much as he could.

And, I mean, you wish he could have played the whole game, right, with six carries for 70-something yards. But really, he pushed as much as he could. And when he couldn’t, he couldn’t. So, he’ll be ready for the bowl game, absolutely.