Everything Sherrone Moore said at his fall camp press conference

Michigan Football head coach Sherrone Moore met with the media on Tuesday to discuss everything around fall practices.

State of Fall Camp

We’re in a really good place. I feel like our football team is getting better and better and better. You know, we’re really living by this motto of TNT—today, not tomorrow. So, everything we can do today to get better, that’s what we’re trying to do. Not worry about tomorrow. It’s not promised and yesterday’s gone.

Obviously, any mistakes or anything that’s taken place the day before or any things that we did really well, we’re not just going to harp on those things. We’re going to try to get better in that moment today. But it’s been good. We’re making a lot of progress. We’ve become a physical football team, a football team with great discipline, a great passion and togetherness. So, we’re really excited about where our team is at right now.

Position Battle Separation

We’re starting to see that, but I think really we kind of planned out this fall camp to where we’ve got a four-day stretch. Our players are off today from physical activity meetings, but then we’ll have a four-day stretch here where we’ll get after it really well. And this is kind of where we climb, put the most impact, most physicality in these past four days and these four days. I think after this scrimmage on Saturday, we’ll really see where we’re at from a depth standpoint. But it’s an organism, a full-on organism that we talk about every day that just moves and shakes.

There are guys that are making climbs. There are guys that are cementing themselves and putting them in positions to be in position. And there are guys that are still taking the steps that they need to get there. But we’re moving forward.

Takeaways from First Scrimmage

That I love this team. I love the passion. I love the energy. I love the togetherness. That we’re going to be a really physical football team. I love our coaches. I love our staff. I learned that we’re going to be explosive on both sides of the ball and come from different positions at different times. And I learned that they like to have fun together.

Those are the things I really learned about our team. And there’s different intricate details of scheme and position battles and all that. But overall, for me, when I looked at it, I expressed to the team how much I love them, how much I thought how good I think this football team can be and where we can climb to. And that’s about it.

Year Two as Head Coach

I don’t think at ease is the question to answer. But it is different. I think whenever you do anything in life, it’s different. There’s a form of maybe not being comfortable but less uncomfortable than you were before. And you think you know everything about being a head coach, especially the head coach of Michigan, and I thought I knew everything because I was coordinator here and position coach here and had been here for so long. But you don’t really know until you get in it.

Being able to go through a full year, full calendar year of planning, of positioning, of putting things into place, of people in place, and even the staff being here another year and having a whole year with the same staff, it’s been awesome for me. It’s been an incredible experience for me. And it is different, but it’s something that I love.

It’s something that I come here excited about. And you’re never going to stop learning. You’re always going to learn about yourself and learn about your team. I think the planning, the process, what I look for, what I see, the communication between me and the staff, the communication between me and the players, and how that all is aligned—that’s changed in a great way, in a positive way. I’ve learned so much. The players have taught me so much. The coaches have. And we’re definitely in a really good place.

Lessons Learned as Head Coach

The number one is just scheduling and camp and how you want to do it and what you want it to look like. When I was with Jim (Harbaugh) and how it looked and what I thought I wanted it to look like. As I went through this past year and then went into the spring and summer, I had a great opportunity to sit with our strength staff. I sat with Coach Tress and Zach Higginbotham, our director of sports science, and we planned out training camp three months before it happened. It allowed me to have a vision based on injuries that we’ve had, based on soft tissue things to make sure we can get the most out of our players from a physicality standpoint, but also not break them down to the point where they’re not available when we need them to.

I think those are the biggest things for me that I learned. And then being able to be on both sides of the ball in all three phases has been really helpful for me.

Standouts in Fall Camp

I think surprised, I don’t think there’s a lot of surprises, but I do think there’s some guys that have stood out. I think I said this at media day. Cole Sullivan is the guy that continues to climb and continues to make an impact. I really feel really good about that.

The linebacker room from Ernie (Hausmann), Jay (Barham), Jimmy (Rolder), and Cole (Sullivan), that guy, he was probably a guy that people weren’t talking about. He’s a younger guy, but he’s a guy that’s really stood out. He’s very multiple, doing different things. In that room, again, you got a guy like Chase Taylor who just keeps chomping that bit to be better and better and better. From a defense perspective, that group, that guy, specifically Cole, just jumps out at me. We all know about the defensive front and what those guys have done. But Cole really is a guy that’s jumped out.

In the secondary, I’d say another guy is Jay (Jaden) Mangham. He’s taken the next steps and is pushing that safety room. We talked about TJ Metcalf, we talked about Brandyn Hillman and Mason Curtis, but Jaden’s really a guy that’s really taken the next steps on defense to show that capability.

Corners: Jo’ziah Edmond is a guy. Shamari Earls, a true freshman who’s flashing and doing some really good things.

On offense, big shoutout to Grant Newsome and what he’s done with the O-line. They’ve worked really, really hard, and they’re pushing that D-line now. Those days that the O-line wins—that’s what you want, good back and forth.

Quarterbacks have been great, much improved, playing at a really good level. Running back has been great.

Receivers—really electric group.

Tight end—same thing. It’s going to be a fun team to watch.

Bryce Underwood’s Maturity

Personality—he’s a quiet kid by nature, but when he knows you, he’ll talk. He’s got an affectionate personality, great young man, obviously well documented with family. Jay and Beverly have done a great job raising him. Just comes to work every day, lunch pail, ready to go. Does everything the right way and attacks the right way. A pleasure to be around.

Expectations—for whoever the starting quarterback is, it’s to raise the level of the team. Be leaders of the offense. The quarterback has to be the captain of that room and that offense. Whoever that is, that’s what I want him to be.

Mikey Keene’s Progress

He’s done a good bit. He’s participating at his rate that he can, and we’ll see as far as how much he can do and what he’ll do as we go through. But he’s been doing a good job for us and managing everything he needs to do.

Chip Lindsey’s Impact

I think Chip’s just done a really good job of meshing the things that I’ve wanted and that our staff has wanted and then what he’s brought in. Putting this product on the field that’s going to showcase our players’ talents the best. He’s done a really good job. Managing the staff, allowing them to have ideas and put those ideas into the game plan. Just excited where the offense is heading from a holistic standpoint.

Quarterback Leadership

Just consistently do it. Whoever that person is, continue to grab the team and consistently do it throughout these times because this is where camp really gets hard. You’re in practice 12–15.
Are you going to keep the level of play? Just want to see that level of consistency.

Depth Chart Process

We meet as a staff and we’re very open. Everybody talks about their position, where they see it, where they think they’d be. Position coach talks about it, coordinator talks about it, and I give my two cents.
Usually on par with what they think. Coordinators do a great job of challenging position coaches. At the end of the day, we all have the same vision.

Rod Moore’s Recovery

He’s pushing. He’s been in walk-throughs. Looks like he’s slowly, steadily going to get into some practice stuff. Sooner than later.

Quarterback Evaluations

Go by age. Mikey—obviously the experience he’s had over about 2,300 snaps of college football. He’s been through every situation, done it all, seen it all. That’s one trait, along with all his other abilities.
Jake Garcia—same thing. He’s seen it, done it, great arm talent, great ability. He’s been really good for us and for the room.

Jadyn—his command, his knowledge of the offense, how he does it. A football junkie, a guy that loves the game.

Bryce—same as Jadyn, with the ability to, especially for a young guy, understand the offense. Obviously, his talent. Consistency is the biggest thing: don’t turn the ball over, command the offense, make plays, and then we’ll have our quarterback.

Using Multiple Quarterbacks

We’ll see about that.

Staff Collaboration

Wink and Chip’s offices are right by each other. They’re always together, always talking, always bouncing ideas. Offensive guys are in the defensive hallway and defensive guys are in the offensive hallway. Constant movement, constant being together. They do a great job working together. It’s natural, not me forcing it. It’s necessary for a successful football team.

Players have to see that. If coaches don’t like each other, players won’t either—it’ll divide the culture. We’re blessed to not have that. The players love the coaches, the coaches love the players, the coaches love each other.

NCAA Investigation Mindset

Today, not tomorrow. That’s all I’m worried about. I’m worried about our players right now. The man upstairs has blessed me with the ability to be here, so I’m just worried about today. That’s it.

Chip Lindsey as a Coach

He’s hilarious. His country twang is phenomenal. Outstanding football coach and human being.
Work ethic, determination, experience as head coach and coordinator—it allows me to let him handle the offense, players, and coaches, while still having my input. He’s receptive to my feedback. Great play caller.

I run live situations where I just let them call plays and we play football. Watching his style, rhythm, and play-calling process has been really cool. I’ve learned from him too. It’s been fun to have him around.

Offensive Line Goals

It’s not the one thing I focus on—when you have 117–119 guys, you’re focused on every position and every player. Yeah, we want the O-line to be elite. The goal is to win a Joe Moore Award again.
Awards aren’t the main thing—we’ll see after the first few games where we go. We’re in a good place to challenge and be one of the better lines in the country.

Freshmen Ahead of Schedule

Nate Marshall on the defensive line—freakish pass rush ability. Chase Taylor keeps climbing. Shamari Earls is another guy. Jaiden Sanders flashes and does a lot of great things.

On offense, Andrew Babalola—pushing for the starting tackle spot, day-to-day competition with Evan Link, who’s playing much better. Blake Frazier in the mix, moving around. Receivers Jamar Browder and Andrew Marsh—dynamic athletes ahead of schedule. Bryce—obviously in that group. Really good freshman class.

O-Line Position Battles

Constant battle. Babalola and Evan Link at left tackle, with Blake Frazier in the mix. At right guard, could be Nate Efobi, Lawrence Hattar, Jake Gaunera, or Brady Norton.

Crip (Greg Crippen) has done a good job at center, pushing with Jake. Gio (El-Hadi) cemented at left guard. Andrew Sprague has played well at right tackle, with Blake pushing him.
Some spots are cemented, others are still in competition. We’ll need them all.

Managing Freshman Quarterback Emotions

We do it with all freshmen. They all work with a sports psychologist. Position coaches and teammates are huge in keeping them from being “emotionally hijacked.”

Greg Harden used to say: control the controllable. Can’t do anything about what hasn’t happened or what already happened—focus on the now.

Quarterback Announcement Timing

Monday of game week. Probably before media time that day. Team will know before.

Long-Term Injuries

No long-term injuries from camp.

TNT Motto

That came from Robbie Emmer.
The basis—control today. Don’t look too far ahead. Why worry about what you can’t control?

Golf Skills

Wink is the better golfer—one of the best on staff. My game? Awful. I’m learning, improving, but I don’t have time now.