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Sherrone Moore previews MSU game, discusses Michigan’s 7-0 start: ‘We’ve got a special team’

Ahead of the Michigan football team’s week eight matchup against Michigan State, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore met with reporters. Moore gave updates on Michigan’s offensive line and rushing attack, gave his thoughts on JJ McCarthy and the in-state rivalry and discussed other topics ahead of Saturday.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Ahead of the Michigan football team’s week eight matchup against Michigan State, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore met with reporters. Moore gave updates on Michigan’s offensive line and rushing attack, gave his thoughts on JJ McCarthy and the in-state rivalry and discussed other topics ahead of Saturday’s tilt.

See everything he had to say below.

Sherrone Moore previews MSU game, discusses Michigan's 7-0 start: 'We've got a special team'

On walk-on offensive lineman Noah Stewart

Great kid on and off the field. Works his tail off to try and get better and push himself to make the team better in his role. Just unbelievable in his role and just love having him on the team and in our room.

On his confidence level with Blake Corum at the goal line

Pretty high. Very high. Coach Hart does a great job with the backs and subbing and all that. The way the guys are knocking up front when we get into those packages and doing those things, it’s giving me high confidence to do that when we get down there.

On what Corum does at the goal-line beyond strength

It’s how low center of gravity, the way he runs on contact, the physicality and probably more importantly the mindset that he has that he’s not going to get stopped.

On Michigan’s red-zone success overall

Execution. The guys, the plan we have and what we’re doing as a staff has been really good. Been very simple, multiple in different ways to the defense. Things we’re used to, things that we do and the packages we’ve practiced throughout the offseason and we’re sticking to that plan as we go through and have different ones as we go game-to-game.

On if he saw AJ Barner as a blocking tight end coming into Michigan

I’ve been super impressed by AJ and what he’s done in the pass-catching but especially as a blocker. He’s really cemented himself as a legit blocker in college football at the tight end position. He takes a lot of pride in it. You can see the work he does in practice. You can see in the weight room in the offseason. He’s just done such a phenomenal job and very proud and happy we have him.

On if Jim Harbaugh has been more “philosophical” lately

He’s always had the sayings. He’s probably more open to saying them a little bit more now. He’s been the same. Again, I’ve said it, it’s on record, I’m blessed to be here with him and learn from him and be around him. He’s a wonderful man, a phenomenal coach, a phenomenal husband and just excited to learn from him and continue to do so.

On his favorite Harbaugh-ism

There’s so many. There’s not really one. There’s always a new one every day so I just try to absorb them all in and keep them in the think box for later. Not any in particular.

On whether Harbaugh is funnier inside the facilities than in press conferences

He is. He’s hilarious. He’s great to be around. Obviously, when it comes to football, serious about football, serious about winning. He’s just like anybody else. He cracks jokes, he likes to hear jokes. He’s as funny as the next guy, so I like being around coach.

On the rivalry with Michigan State

Everybody understands the rivalry, but we gotta prepare like we’ve been preparing, and we know that they’re going to give us everything they’ve got. And we’re going to give them everything we got. It’s another game for us that we have to go out there and prepare like we have been, and practice like we have been to play at the highest level possible so we can continue to get better.

On Harbaugh saying JJ McCarthy is on track to be the best quarterback

Just keep doing what he’s been doing. The dude has worked tirelessly. He’s up there (in meeting rooms) right now trying to get ahead of the game plan and get ahead on stuff we’re doing for not only today but tomorrow. He just needs to keep progressing like he does every day, like he does in practice and how he’s performed in the game. Keep doing what he’s doing to get to that point.

On Michigan keeping players fresh and the impact it has had

Yeah, feel like we’ve done a good job as a staff in substitutions from the game plan and how the games have gone. Fortunately for us, we’ve been able to get guys out a little earlier. Don’t plan on being able to do that every game, but that’s just how it’s done because our guys have done such a good job of executing. Good plan so far and we’ll just try to keep it rolling.

On if a play-caller can be ‘in the zone’

It’s also easy when you have really good players, so the players help. The way they practice and the way they execute in practice gives you a feel of how the game flow is going to go and what you can call in those certain situations. Feel like there’s times where you’re like, ‘yeah man,’ you can feel it and you can feel that this is the time to call this one, this is the time to call this one. The kids do such a great job during the week of … these plays, they really like this. Not this one so much. That kind of helps us, kind of helps me organize and figure out what areas we’re able to call those certain plays.

On the value of playing true freshmen in games

It’s huge. There’s no way of getting better at football than doing it. Especially getting that experience in that game atmosphere. I think, for younger guys, they do it in practice and you always have a little doubt in your head. Maybe not our guys, it’s not cocky but they’re super confident kids. You have that little doubt that, ‘hey, can I do what I do in practice in the game?’ For them to have that level of success is huge for us. Hopefully be able to continue to do that.

On the game intensity vs. practice intensity

No, we practice really hard. It’s not the intensity, it’s really just the experience of all the other things in the game. The atmosphere, the crowd, going against another opponent, not against the people you go against every day or see around the building. I think that piece of it is really the biggest piece for them.

On the offensive line with LaDarius Henderson as the starter

Just continue to get better. He’s done a really good job and we’ll continue to progress and work all those guys as we have in the past couple of weeks. He’s done a really good job for us. There’s things he’s gotta clean up, and the rest of (the line), but really pleased with where he’s at.

On the offensive line early on against Indiana

Yeah, I think there was a couple of missed assignments which really hurt us. We got settled after the first two drives, and it felt like we kept clicking. They definitely presented some things because of the bye week that we didn’t expect and went to some old defense, which happens in a game and which is why we make adjustments. The guys never flinched and that really helped. Once they got wind of it, it clicked and it rolled. Just excited, man, because our guys just don’t flinch. Things happen and you’re going to face some adversity and how do you face it? Do you back away from it or do you punch it in the face and go after it? I felt like the guys did a great job with just attacking it.

On if he’ll stick with the starting five offensive linemen with Myles Hinton healthy again

Yeah, we’ll see. We’ll see how practice goes this week and we’ll go from there.

On bonding with transfer portal players compared to recruits he has known for years

I think the type of kid you bring in is huge. When you go meet these kids at whatever point it is, to figure out … you can kind of get a feel, especially with an older guy because his personality is developed and he is who he is. Obviously, from a playing standpoint, you can see what type of player he is. Really, the bonding point of feeling, will he click with our guys? When I first met Drake (Nugent), I was like, yeah, he’s like (Trevor) Keegan. Myles (Hinton) is a little quiet, but we knew Myles really well from Chris (Hinton). LD was a little different because we didn’t know him as much, but getting to meet him, felt like such a kind, gentle, true soul. You saw him on the film, you saw how good of a player he was and figured he would be a guy that would surely fit with us.

Those things mesh together really well. Going back to like Olu (Oluwatimi), it was the same thing. He came on a visit and felt like it was a mesh and you could see the guys meshing with him. A.J. Barner, Jack Tuttle, Josaiah Stewart, all those guys. Those guys all have the same goals, same aspirations, they all work the same way. The fits, we feel like we’re batting at a high, high percentage with our transfer guys we’ve brought in. They all work for the same purpose which is really cool.

On balancing cockiness and high confidence

I think the big piece is we coach them hard. My philosophy as a coach is to ‘coach them hard, love them harder.’ Make sure you coach them hard, make sure they know they made a mistake if they make mistakes, but give them the love and the genuine kindness that they deserve when they do something right. A lot of our guys are just built that way, that they have that confidence in them.

They all understand the process of what it takes to be really good and you can’t be cocky, you gotta stay humble with the process which our guys do. Going against our defense makes you humble because it’s a battle every day. Yesterday, going to practice, you’re going against the defense. They win one, we win one, they win one. It’s a constant battle. You get that humbleness in practice and that carries over to the games.

On the challenges of punt returning

The obvious (challenge) is you’re sitting back there and you don’t know where any defenders are and you gotta catch a ball and run full speed and make a decision. (Tyler Morris) does a great job of it. Caught a few balls where it bounced and made plays but he’s just got a good feel. I think it takes a special dude back there that’s fearless to do that. We’re glad we’ve got Tyler.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday practices being more intense

The practices have been, they have been super intense. Super focused. Not a lot of joking around. Our guys are very playful, they’re kids. They have fun and we let them do that, let them be who they are. When it comes to practice, they take it very seriously and they’re very intentional with everything they do on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

It just carries over and this week has been no different. You can understand and you can see the rivalry and understand what’s going on. The guys have prepared and practiced yesterday like they did last Tuesday. Well-executed and practiced super hard, competitive not combative and continue to do what we’ve been doing.

On if practices have been more intense this year than in the past

No, I wouldn’t say more intense. More detailed. The guys have practiced as hard as they did last year in Tuesday practices and last year’s were all the same. They’ve taken the same pride. I think you’ve got older and more experienced guys, they’ve done it more. I think with experience comes value, so I think those guys practice at a really high level.

On if he’ll watch the Penn State-Ohio State game at all

Coach always says don’t get emotionally involved in those games. I won’t get emotionally involved, but I will get visually involved. We’ll watch it. Always have our plans for those teams when those come. But focused on Michigan State.

On if he collaborates with Jesse Minter during the week

We’re pretty close. Our offices are literally right across from each other, so we do talk. It’s not scheme, but just kind of how the flow, what we think is going to happen and what we think. They complement us, we complement them and try to play that kind of ball when we get into a game plan. There is some communication. Not scheme but more of how we think the flow of the game is going to go.

On if Michigan consciously tries to reward Blake Corum for coming back with more touches

I think from a statistical standpoint, we really don’t focus on that so much as we do. Just trying to figure out which players help us win. What player is going to help us a score a touchdown on that drive? Those are the biggest things, so we’re not really worried about ‘I gotta run on this play,’ or ‘Blake is going to have to run on this one,’ or ‘we have to throw the ball on this one because of JJ.’ It’s more of, what is the defense doing? How can we attack the defense? Really trying to keep it in that rhythm and score as many points as possible and just be one ahead on the scoreboard.

That’s really the main focus. We’re obviously conscious, we know how good Blake is and excited that he came back. He knows and he understands it’s all about the team, too. I think that’s a big piece, that we have a guy like that could’ve been in the Heisman conversation, maybe won the Heisman last year and came back for the team. I think that’s the biggest thing that we’re all looking at.

On how Corum has handled that

I mean, phenomenal. All those guys. There’s one ball and you’ve got playmakers all over the field and you don’t hear anybody moaning, complaining. They just look at the scoreboard at the end of the game, they see the win and they’re like, alright, let’s ride. Let’s go to the next one. There hasn’t been any of that. It’s been super fun and refreshing to be around because you don’t see that a lot in today’s society. We’ve got a special team.

On whether he has a favorite saying he tells the team

Besides ‘smash,’ that’s about it. You can hear my pregame speeches but some of those have to get bleeped out. Not much. Try to keep it to a minimum. Try to make sure we’ve got good plays going into the game plan and work from there.