Michigan didn’t waste much time turning the page on the Jim Harbaugh era. Just two days after Harbaugh signed a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, the Wolverines promoted their former offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore to head coach.
Rather than lead an extensive search for an established head coach, the Wolverine brass had no issue promoting the 37-year-old from within. It begs the question: what qualifies Moore to suddenly man the ship of a championship-level program?
Moore has slowly built a top-notch resume
Moore’s ascension through the coaching ranks has been far from an overnight development. The Kansas native started as a graduate assistant at Louisville in 2009, while he was getting his master’s degree in sports administration. He immediately got exposed to a winning program, as the Cardinals made two bowl game appearances during that time.
After completing his degree in 2011, he got promoted to tight ends coach. After the 2013 season, he left the Power 5 for Central Michigan, who play in the MAC conference. Despite the Chippewas being a smaller program, he was still able to develop Ben McCord and Tyler Conklin into NFL-caliber tight ends. They currently play for the Detroit Lions and New York Jets, respectively. Conklin has started each of the last three seasons.
Moore finally took his talents to Ann Arbor in 2018, where he again started as the tight ends coach before shifting to the offensive line. As a former lineman himself, the hotshot coach was certainly qualified to mentor players in the trenches. He played guard for Oklahoma from 2006-07, helping the Sooners win two Big 12 titles.
The Michigan offensive line produced an elite run game under Moore’s guidance, including running back Blake Corum’s historic 2023 season, when he scored a record 28 total touchdowns. By this time, Moore was multi-tasking between running the offensive line as well as coordinating the entire offense.
Additionally, Moore went 4-0 as the temporary head coach when Harbaugh was suspended by the NCAA last year. Victories against Penn State and Ohio State catapulted Moore to national attention, showing that he could go toe-to-toe with the likes of Ryan Day.
What will Michigan look like under Moore’s guidance?
Moore’s playcalling decisions at the end of the Penn State victory could be a microcosm of what’s to come in future years for the Wolverines. He called 32 straight run plays to end the game, completely overpowering the Nittany Lions in the trenches to seal the 24-15 victory.
While the offense might never go that long again without tossing the ball, his track record certainly suggests that he will keep emphasizing the run game. Moore admitted that he will probably hand off playcalling duties to the offensive coordinator, but his primary mission is to make this transition as smooth as possible and provide continuity for the program.
“There’s a multitude of things, but I want to start with our players here, our staff here, and take it from there,” he said in his introductory presser. With program stars such as Corum and quarterback JJ McCarthy declaring for the NFL draft, it will be important for Moore to keep the same run-first offensive philosophy in order to not overwhelm the squad with too much change at once.
With four-star recruits Andrew Sprague (offensive tackle), Jadyn Davis (quarterback) and Jordan Marshall (running back) all coming in, the Wolverines should be able to keep winning in the trenches, which could open up play-action opportunities for Davis.
Additionally, three-star tailback Micah Ka’apana should be able to help as a change of pace back whenever Marhsall needs a breather. Football scout EJ Holland at On3.com noted “Ka’apana is a perfect complement to Marshall, who is a bruiser in between the tackles. Marshall more resembles Blake Corum in his running style, while Ka’apana shares some traits with Donovan Edwards. This could very well be the next dynamic duo in Ann Arbor. … Marshall has the potential to take over the bell cow role as a true freshman, while Cabana and Ka’apana can provide some excitement to the offense with their speed and versatility.”
While the Wolverines will have different personnel on both sides of the ball, expect the coaching philosophies and playcalling to remain similar while Moore finds his footing leading the program. With Michigan coming off of three Big Ten titles and a national championship, the fanbase will expect for the squad to maintain its winning ways.
While there is much to learn from Harbaugh’s elite tenure, Moore acknowledged that he can’t be a carbon copy of his predecessor. Rather, he needs to eventually forge his own path and coaching identity, once he gains more experience. “I watched him coach for the past six years, but I can’t be Jim Harbaugh,” Moore said. “I’m going to be me.”