Filling the shoes of a legend, Jim Harbaugh, there was a lot on Sherrone Moore‘s shoulders when he took the coaching job. However, with the key victories over Fresno State, Arkansas State, and USC, he has proved quite a few things. “We want to be the best version of ourselves every single day,” said Moore after one of their crucial games. However, fans and critics can’t get over a few blunders of the season, such as Michigan’s game against USC and questioning the abilities of head coach Moore. One name added to that list is college football analyst Joel Klatt.

Joel Klatt took a sharp jab at Sherrone Moore in his efforts to keep the saga going for the Michigan Wolverines. Especially the legacy that was left by coach Jim Harbaugh. “Michigan looks lost right now,” he bluntly stated. As per Klatt, the Michigan we’re watching this year is nowhere near to its glorious days in Jim Harbaugh’s time. Marked by the past few seasons. “This is not anywhere close to the team that we have seen over the last three years,” said Klatt, highlighting a lack of strength in Sherrone Moore’s leadership.

He gave reasons why he said such brutal things about the team, especially their performance against USC and Minnesota. According to Klatt, Michigan was going well in the first half; however, in the second half, they messed it up. “They get up big. And then they totally fall apart with an inability to move the ball offensively,” said Joel Klatt. Because of their blunders, their opponents found a foot in the game again.

One more thing pointed out by Klatt was the team’s struggling offense, particularly their quarterback position. “There were so many mistakes in the passing game, too many turnovers,” he said. Klatt pointed out the Davis Warren and Alex Orji quarterback changes, and still both of them struggled to find a rhythm in the game, especially their poor passing game.

At last, Klatt raised a bigger question about Michigan’s identity loss, saying, “They have lost some of that Michigan identity.” He warned that under Harbaugh, Michigan thrived on discipline in every position and that’s what was lacking in Moore’s direction. He said that if this continues, Michigan will lose its status of being an elite program in college football.

Sherrone Moore’s Michigan escapes against USC and Minnesota

No. 18 Michigan narrowly escaped an embarrassing loss to USC. They almost struggled in the second half to pick up a first down. However, soon after, their offense found a way with a few minutes left in the game, resulting in a 27-24 victory over No. 11 USC. it was Kalel Mullings who finished a 63-yard run when the clock was ticking in the last two minutes of the game. Helped Michigan take away the winning title.

This game was marked by a first-ever meeting between these two major football programs. When Mullings scored a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with only 37 seconds left in the game, it turned out to be the winning moment for Michigan. Apart from that, their quarterback, Alex Orji, passed for only 32 yards in his debut game. However, running backs somehow managed a victory for the Wolverines. Mullings scored a 53-yard touchdown early in the game and made a base for their win. Added to that, Donovan Edward added one more 41-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, helping Michigan move ahead with a 14-3 lead till halftime in the game. Even though the quarterback, Miller Moss, had a striking performance, he could not help his team grab a win.

In the game against Minnesota, everything looked rosy at halftime, leading the Golden Gophers 21-3. What happened then? Well, the opponent fought back. They scored 21 points in the 4th quarter, and if not for a field goal, the Wolverines were sure to face over time.

Relying on defense, run-game and special teams has so far worked for Sherrone Moore, but it is not a long-term strategy. The passing game is virtually non-existent. While the Gophers couldn’t punish the Wolverines, the same can’t be said about the Washington Huskies who are looking to avenge their national championship loss this Saturday.