Football season in Big Ten country is near.

Right now, Michigan football is allowed to have workouts, meetings and limited time on the field for voluntary practices, though they can't yet wear pads or go through contact drills.

"The players are allowed to workout in the weight room with [head strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert] and his staff," tight ends coach Sherrone Moore said on the 'Inside Michigan Football' radio show with host Jon Jansen. "We’re allowed to do meetings, and then the practices, but we can only do helmets. So, no real, physical contact yet.

"But we all now how that is, guys are competitive, but we can’t actually hit.

"We’re just trying to get as much work as we can, be as fast as we can so we can get ready to play."

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With it being year two for the offense under coordinator Josh Gattis, Moore revealed that the players have a much better grasp of the scheme now than they did last season at this time.

"It’s 100 times better," he said. "It’s understanding what they’re doing, but they’re also understanding the ‘why.’

"And they understand that if the defense does this, we can do this, and they can tell us what the plays are that will counteract what the defense does, which is the next step. We call that 500 level football in the room, knowing not only the action, but the reaction to everything. We’re in a really good place, as far as the concepts."

Michigan football is reloading at the tight end spot after losing Sean McKeon, who is now a Dallas Cowboy, to graduation. Fifth-year senior Nick Eubanks leads the room, and has a plethora of young, talented players behind him.

"The group as a whole, I’m really excited whenever we get the chance to take the field to let them go to work, show their talents and have fun, because it’s been a great group to work with," Moore said. "They love football, they’re intense."

Eubanks is impressing in a multitude of ways.

"He’s been a great leader for the group, especially when we had the quarantine," Moore said. "When we were doing the Zoom meetings, he was answering questions left and right, he’s telling us the ‘why,’ telling us the ‘how,’ and really showing a true leadership.

"When we call came back [to the building], it’s been the same thing here. He’s just picked up where he left off, and has just continued to grow as a player and a leader."

Senior Ben Mason, who began his career as a linebacker, before moving to fullback, defensive tackle and finally back to the offensive side of the ball at H-back and tight end, also adds a boost to Moore's room.

"He's been awesome," Moore said. "Ben is a true leader on the team because he's played all these different positions. He's been an impact leader, not only for my room but for the team. It's been fun to be around him.

"He understands everything that we do. He's got a total understanding of what his role is and what we do on offense."

One who is in a similar role is sophomore Erick All, who showed flashes last season that he will become a steady force for the Wolverines. He's starting to put it together more consistently as he grows within the offense, Moore explained. Redshirt sophomore Luke Schoonmaker is in the same category.

"The ceiling is, I don’t know what it is. It’s huge," Moore said. "He’s going to be an exciting player to watch over the next years here. His real hangup when he first got here is he was a little light. He’s up to about 245 right now, and he runs like a deer. He gets the playbook. Last year, left was right, right was left. We ran into that a little bit. I’ve been there myself. But he’s really excelled and he’s going to do great things for us.

"Luke Schoonmaker is another guy who continues to grow, and again, he’s gotten bigger, he’s up to about 255 right now. Running well, blocking well, doing all the little things to make himself better."

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