Michigan Wolverines football second-year tight ends coach Sherrone Moore had plenty to say about his unit this week when he spoke to the media on Wednesday.
He praised their blocking efforts against Middle Tennessee State, but also reiterated that drops are unacceptable and that the tough catches need to be made.
We break down the highlights of what Moore said in this News & Views format:
NEWS: Several throws hit U-M pass catchers in the hands in last week's season-opener against Middle Tennessee State, and although a few of them would have been tough catches, they were dropped nonetheless.
Sophomore wideout Ronnie Bell failed to haul one in in the end zone that hit him in both hands, junior receiver Nico Collins dropped an easy one on a short pass, and senior tight end Sean McKeon wasn't able to reel one in that also hit him in the hands.
MOORE: “Yeah, [we view McKeon's as a drop]. It would've been a competitive catch and he would have had to make a great play, but we count it as a drop no matter what.”
VIEWS: Props to Moore for calling out McKeon's drop, and reiterating that those are catches that are expected to be made.
U-M's wide receivers had no problem catching almost everything thrown their way last year (then-sophomores Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones had a combined one drop between them, per Pro Football Focus), but drops were a major problem for the tight ends in 2018.
Zach Gentry struggled with it mightily, and McKeon had his fair share as well.
Yes, last week was obviously the first game of the season, but those are plays that simply need to be made against the better teams on Michigan's schedule if the club hopes to be elite this season.
