What will the Michigan football team’s offense look like after the regime change from Jim Harbaugh to Sherrone Moore?
Moore ran an offense similar to the one Harbaugh ran in his years in Ann Arbor, but the pro spread could be upgraded a bit with Kirk Campbell being promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. As OC at Old Dominion, Campbell got a chance to show an improved passing game when he took over the position in Week 1 of the 2023 season. But now that he’ll be making the whole play on that side of the ball, he’s looking to utilize speed, explosiveness and talent once players have the ball in their hands.
Still, Campbell wants to continue to maintain the physical nature that the Maize and Blue have played with over the past few years, but he also wants to make sure the Wolverines aren’t just about running downhill.
He told ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg more about his philosophy:
“The down-to-earth, physical offense isn’t going to change, that’s going to be our identity, but the players are explosive,” Campbell told ESPN. “Every time those guys touch the football, they show their attributes. My job as a coordinator is to give them the football because they’re going to provide that explosiveness. They’re playmakers.”
This does not only apply to players in special positions.
As is well known, the Maize and Blues have been in a competitive offseason for the quarterback position, and while there are several candidates for the starting position, there is no obvious successor to JJ McCarthy in sight. Alex Orji is the clear favorite, but even if he doesn’t get the job outright, Campbell insists that given his skill set, he will get plenty of playing time even if Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren, Jayden Denegal or Jadyn Davis win the position battle.
Nevertheless, Campbell is excited about the talent in the squad and is waiting to see if Orji gets the starting role.
“We have several strong (conference) starters on our roster,” he said. “I have to figure out who’s the best. These guys make it harder for me because we have really good players. Alex just has to take it.”
Michigan has little time to prepare on offense and at quarterback, as it opens the season the evening of August 31 before hosting Texas on September 7 at noon.
