The significance of team culture, player development, and recruiting the right individuals cannot be overstated. Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore fully grasps this concept, having gained valuable experience under the guidance and perspective of Jim Harbaugh. This approach proved instrumental in Michigan’s historic three-year stretch.
On this week’s edition of The L.A.B. podcast by Champions Circle, hosted by Jake Butt, Moore outlined the importance of continuing Michigan’s already proven recruiting formula. Despite facing scrutiny over recent classes, he remains firm in his commitment to prioritizing cultural compatibility over traditional “star” ratings.
Drawing inspiration from a conversation he had with Derek Jeter, Moore stressed the importance of prioritizing character and cultural fit during the recruiting process.
“You look at the types of guys we just won a national title with — we didn’t have a whole bunch of five-stars,” Moore said. “We had some. We want to have elite talent, don’t get me wrong, but I think there’s enough of it out there that you can find that also fits the culture.
“Got the chance to talk to one of the greats in any sport, Derek Jeter, the other day. He talked about alignment, he talked about the whole unit that he had when he was playing with the Yankees. It was really about the mentality that they all had. They said that they would have first- or second-round draft picks coming in and say, ‘Well, you’re not gonna fit here, you’re gonna have to leave.’ It’s all about the culture, the fit and the alignment of the university, organization, even in business.
“We’re definitely going to try and bring in the right type of guys here, the right type of families to become Michigan Men and Michigan Women and continue to keep this program at the highest level.”
Addressing the evolving landscape of college football, Moore acknowledged the crucial role NIL has on the recruitment process. He also took a moment to praise Champions Circle for playing a pivotal role in supporting student-athletes.
“You have to have a plan for NIL,” Moore said. “That’s the game now, that’s where college football is. There are a lot of other things with revenue sharing which we’re all for here, I’ve always been for it, I know (Harbaugh) has been for it. I think the players deserve to get a piece of it. NIL is a part of it.
“Champions Circle has done an outstanding job with all that, and the fund to keep our players here who have excelled at the highest level and took us to where we are. They deserve it. They deserve to be rewarded for that. We’ll use it as a tool and to help us as we go forward.”
Moore also emphasized the importance of continuity and experience in maintaining the defensive scheme at Michigan. By bringing in defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, Moore made a hire that offered one of the best shots at ensuring the integrity of the defense.
“I wanted to make sure that I kept that scheme, kept those intact,” Moore said. “I think, one, because our players are really good at it and they’re really good players. I wanted to make sure that they were comfortable first. And two, that you wanted to keep that scheme there and bring somebody in that can run the scheme. And why not (bring in) the person that it really originated from? That’s how bringing coach Martindale came about. And he’s a wonderful human being — great, phenomenal coach, but even a better person.
“And then all the support staff, all the guys around him, the assistants around him. Coach Brian Jean-Mary, Lou Esposito and LaMar Morgan, they’re all phenomenal. And all of those guys have been coordinators and called plays, which gives you even better insight, too.”
On the offensive side, Moore expressed his confidence in the team’s ability to build on their success. Having coordinated the offense himself, Moore highlighted the strong chemistry and alignment within the group.
“I was so close to them last year, and we worked hand in hand and developed such a great chemistry as a staff, but also from an offensive perspective, we were completely aligned as a group, as a unit, as a staff, and with all the players,” Moore said. “Super excited for coach (Kirk) Campbell. I know he’s going to do a heck of a job. And all those guys on that side of the ball are phenomenal coaches, phenomenal people, phenomenal recruiters. And it’s going to be really cool to watch those guys really elevate this even more, be better than I was calling plays and doing things. I’m super stoked for them.”
