Sherrone Moore points to turnovers as Michigan’s defining detriment

It’s hard to pinpoint one single reason why the Michigan football team is in the midst of a severely underwhelming, perhaps even embarrassing, season. Some might point to execution issues or technical missteps, others might call out roster management or play calling — and the list goes on.

Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, however, staunchly believes his team has been dragged down in large part by one pivotal problem: turnovers.

“I just think it’s about us taking care of the football,” Moore said Monday, when asked how he would explain the program’s regression over the past nine months. “I could say it tirelessly. You look at really what we’ve done, it’s because of the football. And look at last year just in terms of fumbles, not very many. In terms of picks, (former quarterback) J.J. (McCarthy) had three in one game, and after that, he only had one. So we have to do that. If we do that, we’ll be in a better place.”

In stark contrast to McCarthy’s four total interceptions last season, the Wolverines’ current quarterback rotation has already combined for nine picks — and they still have five regular season games to go. A product of both poor passing and subpar route-running, Michigan has yet to figure out a solution despite multiple quarterback changes.

Turnovers are showing up in some of the worst possible moments for the Wolverines, too. Against Illinois on Saturday, although the game seemed essentially out of reach by the end of the third quarter, Michigan conjured up a spark with just under nine minutes left on the clock. Graduate quarterback Jack Tuttle connected with junior tight end Colston Loveland to convert on a 4th-and-18, setting the Wolverines up with a fresh set of downs inside the red zone.

But on the following play, targeting Loveland down the sideline again, Tuttle’s pass fell short and straight into the hands of an Illinois defender. The interception immediately squashed the potential scoring drive and any hope of a Michigan comeback.

While most turnovers can be attributed to the Wolverines’ floundering passing game, Michigan has also struggled to take care of the ball on the ground. The Wolverines have fumbled eight times this season, losing six of them. All of their opponents combined, on the other hand, have lost just two total fumbles.

“I have two fumbles this year, which is not really like me at all,” senior running back Donovan Edwards said. “So it’s just the small things that we always have to get better at. … Ultimately, just go back to the drawing board. Go throughout this week, hold the ball high and tight, just allow it not to happen again.”

Unsurprisingly, Michigan has lost the turnover battle in all three of its defeats thus far. Even in wins, though, the Wolverines have still struggled to protect the football. Against Arkansas State, a heavy underdog, senior quarterback Davis Warren threw three picks. As such, Michigan currently sits at 117th in the nation in turnover margin — an abysmal ranking that encapsulates Moore’s frustrations. 

Depending on who you ask, you’d probably get a plethora of explanations for the Wolverines’ season-long shortcomings. But from Moore’s perspective, turnovers clearly take the cake.

The post Sherrone Moore points to turnovers as Michigan’s defining detriment appeared first on The Michigan Daily.


Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *