Michigan football: Offense starting to click, per Sherrone Moore
The Michigan defense got the better of the offense in the spring game, but like it had been throughout the previous 14 practices, the offense had its moments. Senior running back Donovan Edwards ran as hard as he’d ever seen him run, offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell said, and was impressive. Several of the young receivers, too, made plays.
Meanwhile, the offensive line had several different combinations, but often seemed to get push no matter who was on the field.
“I think they had great maturation because of who they’re going against every day,” Sherrone Moore told Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches podcast. “If you don’t get better, you’re just going to get smashed every day by our defense. There are some days they got them … our offense got [the defense].
“But the guys just got better. They competed at a high level. The young guys didn’t back down, and the older guys stayed the course and kept playing. It was really good to see.”
They looked well-coached and aggressive, though, and not complacent.
But everyone knows the offense’s fate will be in the quarterbacks’ hands, literally and figuratively. The coaches appear ready to roll into fall with what they have behind center than explore the portal, but he appears to believe in his guys.
“It’s super competitive right now. I’m excited to see what happens in the spring or in the summertime, and then in fall camp — we won’t know until probably fall camp, until game one, a week or so before that game,” the Michigan coach continued. “But those guys are competing at a high level. It’s healthy competition. They’re pushing each other, so it’s been really good.”
Michigan junior Alex Orji was presumed to be the leader heading into spring ball, and he got better, Moore said. He had his ups and downs in March and April — kind of his M.O. — but there was a lot to like, the coach insisted.
“He’s gotten better every single day,” Moore said. “He studies the game at a high level, he’s a great leader, has the factor of people trying to follow him, and obviously, he’s a superb athlete. So yeah, he’s done a really good job. I’m excited to see where he goes.”
Veteran Davis Warren, meanwhile, showed well in a spring game for the second time in his career. While some seem to want to discount him because he’s a “former walk-on,” etc., he just continues to get better.
“Just the way he performed is kind of who he is,” Moore said. “You know his story and what he’s been through. He’s just a dude that’s never going to give up, keeps fighting and keeps clawing. He’s had a great spring and topped it off with a really good game.”
Finally, frosh quarterback Jadyn Davis continues to impress with his knowledge of the Michigan offense and his leadership. He’s going to get his chance down the road, but for now, he’s soaking it all in.
“Jadyn Davis, for a young freshmen, has been super impressive,” Moore said. “The poise he holds, he kind of has that factor to him … he’s a little bit like J.J. [McCarthy], where he’s a young guy and guys get gravitated towards him. He’s a leader, but he’s like always in here.
“A cool thing about him — we played the Rose Bowl and came back from the Rose Bowl, and he was in here studying film. We won the national championship, came back, and he was in here studying film. The kid really gets it and what it means to be a quarterback here.”
