Could Rod Moore redshirt this season? Here’s what Michigan’s DBs coach said

ANN ARBOR – The Michigan Wolverines have gotten graduate defensive back and two-time captain Rod Moore into three games this year, but he has not played since the team’s 31-13 loss at USC on Oct. 11.

Moore, who missed nearly two years of football recovering from two knee procedures, played 18 snaps in a Week 4 win at Nebraska and followed it up with 21 snaps and an interception in the win over Wisconsin in Week 6. The USC game saw him take the field for 46 snaps, well above what he had been working back into, and now it appears he is back on the shelf for the time being.

“Just working through the knee, making sure that it’s 100%,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said this week. “Does some things in practice, does some movement stuff, but it’s not all the way there. I think that one week he had a lot of reps, put some work on it, so we’ll just see how he’s going this week.”

Defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator LaMar Morgan spoke to the media on Wednesday afternoon, saying that the team is currently being cautious with him heading into the stretch run.

“ I’m excited for Rod,” Morgan told the Michigan media. “Everybody’s being cautious with him right now and I think he’s in great spirits and I think we have a great medical team here. … I think he’s progressing the right way. Running and all that stuff. We just want to make sure we do right by him. He has a bright future. He has had a great career so far and I think his career is just getting started.

“So we’re just trying to do a good job and just making sure that he feels comfortable and he feels right when he gets back on the field. To me, I think that’s just kind of what you gotta do as coaches, like I said before. Are you transactional or are you transformational as a coach? Sometimes as a coach, you want the guy out there playing and all that stuff, but is that the best thing for him?

“…I think at the end of the day, winning games matter, but the kid matters a little bit more, so I’m just going to support whatever is going on. And I think he’s in a good spot. I think he’s moving in the right direction and I think he’ll be back the way he wants to be really soon.”

Some have wondered if the best move might be to get him right and save him for the Ohio State game, which could also allow him to potentially explore a medical redshirt with four games played. Morgan said that is not currently a consideration, nor is Michigan sure if it is even possible given his playing experience.

 ”Well, I thought I thought he redshirted last year, so I don’t know if he can do that anymore,” Morgan said. “He played three years straight, then he redshirted last year, and then this year… I don’t know how that works, but [it would be] medical. I have no idea. I don’t think we have talked about that at all.

“Rod was a high NFL draft pick two years ago. I think he’s chasing trying to get ready for the NFL and also trying to have a senior season that propels him to have a great Senior Bowl and great [NFL] combine. I think that’s probably his focus. He wants to get back to play so he can be moving in the right direction, not shutting it down.

“Some kids just shut it down, say I’m done. But that’s not what he’s doing. He wants to come back, play games, and compete to help us win a championship and then, and then get ready for the draft and all that stuff.”

Michigan is back in action on Saturday night against Purdue at 7 p.m. in Ann Arbor before its second bye week of the season, the weekend of Nov. 8.