On Saturday, the Michigan Wolverines lost their first regular-season game in nearly two years, a 31-12 loss to the Texas Longhorns.
While the 2024 season was always going to be a step back for the 2023 national champions, a lifeless home performance against the Longhorns combined with inept quarterback play in the first two weeks has been a steeper drop-off than expected.
Head coach Sherrone Moore, who served as the team’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons before being promoted to head coach after Jim Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers, preached patience after Saturday’s loss, saying that the Wolverines would figure it out.
“We knew we’re a new team. We never tried to rest on our laurels after we won the national championship last year. So for us, it was what are we going to do to get better and make this team good? We’re at where we’re at. We’re going to continue to grow and get better,” Moore said in Saturday’s postgame news conference via ESPN.
Michigan’s offense has been awful through two games. While they opened the season with a 30-10 win over the Fresno State Bulldogs on August 31, the Wolverines had 121 passing yards as former preferred walk-on Davis Warren took the majority of the snaps instead of projected starter Alex Orji.
The offensive issues were amplified against Texas, as Warren had 204 yards, but most came in garbage time. He also threw a pair of interceptions. More alarmingly for Michigan, running back Donovan Edwards, who was expected to pick up where Blake Corum left off in the Michigan offense, has been very pedestrian this season, rushing 19 times for 68 yards and zero touchdowns so far.
Michigan will look to get back on track when they host the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Saturday.
[ESPN]
