Michigan safety is “on track” to return to action this fall, but his coach recently shed some light on why his recovery from a torn ACL has been slower than expected.
During an appearance on the school’s “In the Trenches” podcast, Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore revealed that veteran star required an additional surgery on his knee to address some lingering issues and clean things up.
“Top star is moving in a really positive direction,” Moore said when discussing his potential return this fall. “It looks like he’ll be in a great spot for summer workouts and will be progressing toward being ready for fall camp.”
While it’s not an official confirmation, Moore remains hopeful about his standout defensive back, who tore his ACL in April 2024. The player missed the entire 2024 season as well as this year’s spring practices, totaling 13 months away from football.
In a December interview with The Ann Arbor News/MLive, it was noted that Moore had progressed to running on a treadmill and was beginning to transition to running on solid ground. Although he was eligible for the NFL Draft, he chose to return to Michigan, where he still has a year of eligibility remaining.
“(He) spent the whole year sidelined but continued to lead off the field with his actions and attitude,” Sherrone Moore said. “After undergoing an additional surgery to address the issue, he’s now feeling better than ever.”
“He’s been running and is in a good spot,” Moore said.
In an interview with reporters earlier this month, Michigan defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan mentioned that Moore was “really close” to making his return — and emphasized how eager the staff is to have him back.
“We just want to be fair to Rod and his family, giving him the proper time to recover,” Morgan said. “You never want to rush a player back, especially someone who’s given so much to this program. Honestly, without Rod Moore, I’m not sure the excitement around here would be as high.”
Moore, a two-time All-Big Ten selection, earned honorable mention honors in 2022 and was named to the third team in 2023 during Michigan’s national championship run. Over his career, he has appeared in 37 games, starting 27, and racked up 141 tackles, six interceptions, and 13 pass breakups.
His return would be vital for a Michigan secondary that is in rebuilding mode after losing starters Will Johnson and Makari Paige to the NFL, as well as experienced backups Amir Hall and Quinten Johnson.
Moore brings a wealth of experience and was poised for a breakout season in 2024 before his injury. Now, he’ll aim to recapture that momentum heading into this fall.