Is it possible that this year's version of the Michigan offensive line is better than the one the Wolverines had last year? The same unit that won the Joe Moore Award?
It's very possible, according to co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore.
The Wolverines are enjoying another Joe Moore-type of season, which is why they were named as finalists for the award recently. When asked whether he feels this group is better, Moore believed in some ways there has been significant improvement.
Experience has a lot to do with it, too.
"The biggest piece is that those guys that played last year are a year older, and you only get better by playing the game, and these guys are very experienced, they’re playing very physical, but the play is super confident," Moore told reporters on Wednesday. "Because they’ve been in big games, they’ve played in big stadiums, they’re playing here at the Big House and playing in big atmospheres, so you don’t really get thrown off by everything. So the confidence level of the group is really high.
"Then obviously with Olu in the middle, who’s played a lot of football games himself, it escalates even more. They’re playing at a really high level. I’m just excited for the next challenge."
It does go beyond the addition of Olu Oluwatimi and added experience, however. At times this season there have been stretches where the offensive line haven't been playing at full strength. While the team enjoyed a mostly-healthy 2021 season, fortunes haven't been the same this year and the injury bug has bitten the offensive line on more than one occasion.
The fact that the Wolverines have played six different offensive line combinations this season and have not seen any kind of dropoff in play is a testament to the talent and coaching the group receives from the top down.
Moore won't take any of the credit, though. Instead, deflects all praise to the players putting in the work every day.
"The kids are just doing an outstanding job, that really started in the spring," Moore said. "Because we would play guys all over the place and it’s the moment you get into the game week and something happens and you got to move somebody around. They’re all comfortable playing either position, either side, so it’s all about finding the best five guys for that week and trying to make sure that combination—so, it’s been great. The kids are just, they just work their tails off to get this point for the depth that we have, for all the guys that have started and played makes us feel really good about the depth of this line."
