Sherrone Moore got the keys to the Michigan football program in some unusual circumstances, taking over for Jim Harbaugh on the heels of a national championship. But Moore isn’t running from taking over for a national title defense.
Moore, who became the head coach at Michigan after serving as offensive coordinator, could’ve surely walked into a less pressure-packed scenario for his first go as a college head coach. It’s just not the way he wanted it.
“For me I never really want anything but to be in a situation that challenges you and for us, it’s just another chip on our shoulder because people are just going to say what they’re going to say about the schedule and this and that and we just block out the noise and go to work,” Moore said.
And for Moore, specifically, staying at Michigan was a dream.
“So I’m just happy because I’m at Michigan and I love this place, I love the people, I love the alumni, I love the students and most important I love our players, like they’re my kids,” Moore said. “So I’m just happy that I can lead this program.”
Moore isn’t downplaying any 2024 opponent for Michigan
Michigan, like most Big Ten teams, has some added heft on the schedule with the addition of the four West Coast schools to the league. But Moore isn’t downplaying any of the 12 opponents the Wolverines are slated to play.
Speaking with reporters after a recent camp showcase in Detroit, Moore explained that to him and his team, every game is a big one. That said, they still make sure beating Ohio State — AKA “team we have to beat down south” — is made a point.
“We know we’ve got a great schedule, but we’re not going to look ahead and make one bigger,” Moore said. “They’re all of equal value. We know the standard of the team we have to beat down south and we always express that and work for that, but every team is — every game is a big game. So we’ll treat every season like that.”
In the previous iteration of the Big Ten, Michigan’s biggest annual games were consistently against Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State, all in the Big Ten East. A crossover matchup against Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa or rival Minnesota could add some more conference pop, but not a ton, and the Wolverines non-conference schedules in recent years have been paltry.
Now, though, the likes of Washington, Oregon, USC and UCLA are potential opponents, along with the others, in a division-less format.
The Wolverines wont play the Nittany Lions in 2024, but have picked up games against Washington, Oregon and USC. And the non-conference slate for Michigan this year is massively better than previous years, headlined by a Week 2 visit from Texas to Ann Arbor.
So while Ohio State at the end of the year won’t be forgotten, Moore and his staff will make sure every game is treated with the importance it deserves.
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