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Sherrone Moore: 'We don't agree' on controversial Jaishawn Barham targeting ejection

On3 imageby: Dan Morrison5 hours agodan_morrison96
Sherrone Moore, Michigan
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Michigan Wolverines opened the season on Saturday with a comfortable win over the New Mexico Lobos. That game wasn’t without its controversy, though, and the targeting ejection of linebacker Jaishawn Barham hung over the game for Michigan.

After the game, head coach Sherrone Moore praised the linebackers who stepped up in Barham’s absence. At the same time, he pushed back on the decision to call targeting on Barham, explaining that he wanted to talk about the ejection with the Big Ten.

“That group is elite,” Sherrone Moore said. “They’re four deep. We feel very strongly about that group. You know that. We’re going to talk about the ejection when we get to that point with the Big Ten and handling that because we don’t agree. And we’ll handle it from there.”

Michigan did end up taking the call and appealing it to the NCAA. They had very little luck there, though. It’s been announced that the targeting against Jaishawn Barham will be upheld. Since it was a second half ejection against New Mexico, he now needs to miss the first half against Oklahoma.

On the play, Jaishawn Barham went to sack New Mexico quarterback Jack Layne. There, he appeared to make helmet-to-helmet contact, though not with the crown of his helmet. Both of his feet also left the ground on the play. Michigan didn’t like the call, largely because he didn’t use the crown, but the targeting rule does not require the crown to be used.

Without Jaishawn Barham, Michigan needs its linebackers to step up and fill his shoes in the first half against Oklahoma. That’s a major step up in competition from New Mexico, but Sherrone Moore remains confident in that unit.

“But overall, Ernest [Hausmann], Jimmy [Rolder], Cole [Sullivan], those guys, we look at as starters as well. You know, we play them every single day, and those guys are moving fast. And Cole Sullivan is putting in a lot of work,” Moore said. “And I said this in Big Ten Media Days of how I thought he would really step up. It wasn’t really a surprise to watch him do what he did today. And to watch Jimmy play like he did wasn’t a surprise either. So, we’ve got a really good group of linebackers.”

Michigan and Oklahoma are set to square off on Saturday, September 6th, in Norman. For both sides, looking to bounce back from frustrating seasons in 2024, this is going to be their first major test of the 2025 season. So, there is plenty still to learn about both teams.