Michigan OC Chip Lindsey talks offensive philosophy: ‘I want us to be true to our DNA’

Michigan didn’t bring in Chip Lindsey to reinvent the wheel on offense; Sherrone Moore was simply looking to reinvigorate an offense that struggled mightily last season.

[Sign up for Maize & Blue Review for $1 and get PLUS access for 7 days!]

Lindsey is hoping to do just that as he will make his U-M coaching debut on Saturday against New Mexico.

He brings a southern flair with vast experience as both a coordinator and head coach at all levels of college football. He understands what he is walking into and the reputation the Wolverines have for its identity on offense.

That, he says, will not change.

“I want us to be true to our DNA,” Lindsey said on the Inside Michigan Football program on Monday. “I want us to be a physical offense that plays fast and physical, and not necessarily just tempo fast. I mean, just when the ball is snapped, we’re playing fast and physical, and really just trying to make sure we highlight the guys that help us score, right? The guys that can make plays, the guys that we need to get the ball to in space, or handing the ball to, or whatever the case may be. But I want people to walk away saying, man, that was a physical football team, a physical offense that creates explosives, and that’s kind of what our goal is. And we’ve worked really hard at trying to improve in those areas, and it’ll be fun to see it all come to fruition on Saturday.”

U-M addressed a major need in the offseason with the addition of key members on offense in hopes of improving the passing attack by adding star freshman Bryce Underwood at quarterback and wide receiver transfer Donaven McCulley, who is expected to be the leading receiver for the program this season.

With these additions, Lindsey feels he has everything he needs to challenge any team the Wolverines face vertically this season.

“Oh, I do. Yeah, for sure,” Lindsey said. “Everything starts with running the football, for sure. I mean, you go back to the national championship season, and if you really study that, the plays they were able to hit down the field were because they could run the football. So, we have to win the line of scrimmage. We have to establish being physical and running the football, and then that’s going to help us open up, and now we’ve got the ability, you know, whether some receivers that we have now, or the quarterback, or whatever it is, to really push the ball down the field when it makes sense.

“I think at quarterback, we have to understand, okay, if it’s there, let’s go light it up. If it’s not, we’re going to check the ball down, or we’re going to make a play with your feet, or whatever the case may be. And really, our focus this week is going to be, let’s play penalty-free, let’s be physical at the line of scrimmage, and let’s take care of the football, and just let things happen naturally. We don’t have to force it. You know, that’s one of the things with Bryce this week really pushing is, hey, just let the game come to you. You don’t have to force the issue when the ability’s there to make a play, do it.”