What will Michigan’s football offense look like with the change of regime from Jim Harbaugh to Sherone Moore?
Moore ran an attack similar to the one Harbaugh has tended to run over his years in Ann Arbor, but the pro spread may get a bit of an upgrade with Kirk Campbell being promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. Campbell, the former Old Dominion OC, fills the position in Week 1 of the 2023 season and has the opportunity to showcase an improved passing game, but he will be running everything on that side and wants to utilize the speed, explosiveness and talent of his players once they have the ball in their hands.
That being said, Campbell is still looking to embrace the physical nature that has worked for the maize and blue over the past few years, but he also wants to make sure the Wolverines aren’t just focused on running downhill.
He spoke to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg in more detail about his philosophy.
“It’s still going to be a blue-collar, physical attack, that’s going to be our identity, but our guys are explosive,” Campbell told ESPN. “Every time they touch the ball, that’s what they’re known for. My job as a coordinator is to get them the ball because they’re the explosive guys. They’re the playmakers.”
This is no exception for skill position players.
As we all know, the Maize and Blue have been locked in a quarterback battle this offseason, and while there are multiple candidates to take over the starting role, there is no clear candidate to replace JJ McCarthy. Alex Orji is the front-runner, but Campbell maintains that even if he doesn’t win the spot, his skill set means he would still get plenty of playing time if Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren, Jaeden Denegal or Jaidyn Davis were to win the position.
But Campbell is banking on the talent in the squad and will wait and see on whether Orji will take on a starting role.
“There are multiple powers [conference] “We don’t have any starters on the roster,” he said. “We have to figure out who’s best. We have some really good players, so with those guys it’s going to be hard for me. Alex has to take it.”
Michigan opens its season on the evening of Aug. 31 and hosts Texas at noon on Sept. 7, leaving the team with little time to figure out its offense and quarterback position.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire
