Michigan football is no stranger to unorthodox strategies.
When offensive coordinator Josh Gattis left for Miami during the offseason, his departure left the door open for offensive line coach Sherrone Moore and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss.
U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh couldn't decide on one coordinator, so he chose both, making Moore & Weiss co-coordinators.
Most football teams -- high school, college, or pro -- assign one coordinator to call plays.
FOX's Joel Klatt was on color commentary for Michigan's Big Ten opener against Maryland on September 24. On his podcast, The Joel Klatt Show, he explained his skepticism of U-M's offensive strategy.
"I think they (Moore & Weiss) are both really smart guys. I loved meeting with them on Friday. But I pressed them, like, 'who's the play caller?' I'm a firm believer that you got to have a play caller. When the rubber meets the road, when there are big third downs, when you face adversity — who's the guy calling the plays?" Klatt asked. "Because that guy, it's important that he establishes a rhythm. It's vital for the success of an offense to have a play caller who can establish a rhythm. And I felt at times like they weren't establishing a rhythm, so I was critical of their play-calling situation because they wouldn't tell me who was calling plays."
During the week, Klatt, who played quarterback at Colorado, meets with the coaching staff from both teams for the game he and Gus Johnson will call on Saturday.
When he met with Moore & Weiss, he questioned their process.
"At one point in our meetings, I almost got a little sassy. Stop. Timeout. Who's got veto power?" Klatt asked them. "Somebody's got to be the play caller. And at some point this year, that will have to come to fruition. Why is that the case, Joel? It's important for a play-caller to establish rhythm so that he can be the architect of the game plan."
Weiss met with the media during a weekly press conference at Michigan on September 28, two days after Klatt's comments.
"Joel is a really smart guy who knows football—playing experience, a ton of experience, every week he's studying the game, he knows what he's talking about," Weiss said. "So, I guess I think a lot of times when people see something new or hear something new, their first reaction is to say, 'Look, I'm not used to that, so that can't be a good way to do it.'"
Michigan and Harbaugh, as a whole, embrace innovation.
Last season, Weiss brought a new run scheme from the Ravens, where he was on staff for John Harbaugh and worked with QB Lamar Jackson.
The infusion of J.J. McCarthy as a run threat was a byproduct of the sophomore's talent and Weiss' designs.
As QBs coach last year, his responsibilities weren't as high, but his influence seemed to be based on the on-field product.
Now sharing a room with Moore, he believes the ceiling is sky-high but understands it's a process he enjoys
"I think it is a work in progress, just like everything in our offense. Whether it's the run game, the passing game, or the playcalling, everything can be better; everything is a work in progress. If we were out of rhythm or whatever (Klatt) said, then yeah, I can't wait to see what we look like when we're in a rhythm."
Weiss continued.
"And we all know we can do a lot better, but I think the system we have in place is really good. I know that Sherrone helps me a ton. I think I help him a ton, and it's really a great way to do it. I think we have a great rhythm. So far, the results have been good."
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