Rod Moore returned to the field for the first time in over a year against Nebraska on Saturday. His return isn’t just a huge milestone for him — it is crucial for the development of Michigan Football’s young secondary:
Saturday marked 665 days since Rod Moore had made the defining moment of his Michigan career.
Back on Nov. 25, 2023, Ohio State rapidly moved into Michigan territory in search of a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Targeting star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. over the middle of the field, quarterback Kyle McCord was hit as he let go of the football, causing his pass to travel just short of the target. That’s when Moore swooped in and caught the misfired pass.
If not for that play, it’s fair to wonder if Michigan would’ve accomplished everything it did in 2023. Moore’s stock was at an all-time high, but he opted to return for his senior season in 2024. A knee injury in the offseason derailed his plans, but Moore — at long last — returned to the field for the first time since the National Championship on Saturday at Nebraska.
“Watching (Moore) go out there was magical,” head coach Sherrone Moore said on Monday. “It was awesome to see the progress he’s made with his knee over the years and what he’s done. It feels great, and it was great to watch Rod make plays.”
Moore was one of just a few remaining starters from Michigan’s 2023 team that opted to return, but his presence was missing on the field and could have been helpful during a turbulent first season under Sherrone Moore and Wink Martindale. Now back in the fold, Moore’s experience is something that can pay dividends for the defense.
Last season, the coaching staff had talked about Moore still being plenty involved from the sidelines, but he’s capable of making a much bigger impact when he’s between the white lines with his teammates.
“When (Moore)’s on the field, he’s like a coach. You can make adjustments, you can make calls — Rod’s just a little different because he’s done it for so many snaps in such a high level,” Sherrone said.
The fifth-year senior’s presence benefits the defense as a whole, but it goes without say his voice should be important for the secondary in particular. Between the nickel and safety spots, the Wolverines are relying on plenty of players that are either relatively new to the scheme or are new to college football altogether. Third-year players Jyaire Hill and Brandyn Hillman are two of the more experienced homegrown contributors in the secondary, but neither of them have much experience beyond what we’ve seen since the start of last season.
As such, there’s room for a player with Moore’s experience level to help stabilize a defense that has had some ups and downs during the course of this young 2025 season. The secondary was picked on quite a bit by Nebraska, as Dylan Raiola threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns over the weekend.
On Monday, Sherrone Moore attributed the success of the Cornhusker passing attack both to some communication issues from the Wolverines, but also to good execution by the opponent. By having the veteran safety back on the field the rest of the way, the hope is his leadership and experience can cut down on miscues that lead to big plays from opposing passing attacks.
Despite the things that didn’t go well on Saturday, Michigan’s head coach is pleased with some of the things he observed from the young secondary during his suspension. He specifically shouted out true freshman cornerback Jayden Sanders, who has made back-to-back starts with Zeke Berry on the shelf with an injury.
“To watch a guy like Jayden Sanders — you don’t even notice him, but you notice him make plays,” Moore said. “I credit the staff on what they’ve done with a bunch of young players, especially in the back end.”
Michigan is in a good place right now after passing another early-season test with its road win over Nebraska. Now it’ll use the bye week as a chance to bring Rod Moore and the young players in the secondary even further along as they ready themselves for what will be no cakewalk of a Big Ten schedule.
Category: General Sports
