Sherrone Moore quick-hitters: MSU rivalry, Michigan LT situation, more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore held his weekly press conference Monday morning at Schembechler Hall, previewing Michigan State ahead of Saturday’s game. Here are bullet points on the most notable things he said.

Sherrone Moore quick-hitters

• Junior running back Justice Haynes, who was a game-time decision before not playing against Washington, will practice this week.

• Moore wore his blue-collar jacket to the press conference, just like last week when he said it’s time to get “back to work,” and this time he started things off by saying, “I guess it worked, huh?”

• Sophomore Blake Frazier stepped in at left tackle for the injured Evan Link, and Moore said he’s “proud of the player he’s become.” His role as extra offensive lineman earlier in the season helped prepare him for the playing time he’ll get now with Link out. Moore said he’s added weight from 245 or 255 up to 300 since he’s been with the program. Moore said he played well after some early struggles against Washington.

• Link’s injury is “not as bad as we thought” and Michigan will “have him back sooner than later. We’ll see. We’ll just take it week by week.”

• Frazier will start with Link out, but junior Brady Norton will also get reps at tackle. He practiced there in the spring and moved to guard this fall.

• Michigan talks about all of its rivalries during training camp, but the Wolverines’ staff will “reeducate” the players this week. He said his team understands the history of the rivalry and what’s at stake.

• Moore’s “first introduction” to the rivalry was as tight ends coach in 2018, when MSU lined up to walk the field and attempted to run over Michigan players warming up in a physical manner. Moore held back linebacker Devin Bush as he scuffed the logo before the game.

• Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh is “big, strong, physical, can make 50-50 catches.” He’s a “good route runner,” has developed in that area, and Michigan has to “have a plan to stop him.”

• Avoiding getting involved with the extra curriculars will be important for Michigan this week, with Moore saying that those “aren’t going to help us win.”

• The 3rd and 11 pass from Bryce Underwood to Deakon Tonielli was in fact intended for the tight end, Moore said, even though it looked like Underwood was targeting freshman wideout Andrew Marsh and Tonielli said after the game that it was not supposed to go to him.

• “Urgency” is the key word around Michigan football for the rest of the season. The Wolverines must remain “hungry” and “starving” and not get “complacent” even when they win.

• Junior safety Brandyn Hillman, graduate safety Rod Moore and sophomore tight end Hogan Hansen are all expected to practice this week after missing the last game.

• Senior linebacker Ernest Hausmann will be back after going down against Washington. Graduate defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny is “doing okay.” Michigan will “look to see if he can practice this week and see where that goes.”

• Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles is “really good” and explosive not only with his arm but also running the football. He’s not as “twitchy” as Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. but brings some of the same traits to the table. Michigan will be on the lookout for quarterback runs, both designed and scrambles, and have to keep “eyes on him” at all times.

• Michigan has a lot of underclassmen getting playing time, and Moore said that’s “fun.” He said the Wolverines are the youngest team in the Big Ten, but that “doesn’t matter” because they have to worry about winning right now, not looking ahead to the future.

• “Records don’t matter” in rivalries, so Michigan will get MSU’s best shot.

• Senior EDGE Derrick Moore played “outstanding” in his 2-sack performance against Washington. The opportunities don’t always find an edge rusher each game or snap, but Moore made the most of his opportunities when they did.

• Moore said he tried to challenge a spot in the Michigan win over Washington, but the officials didn’t let him.

• Michigan’s linebackers have been “outstanding” this season. Senior Jimmy Rolder has been “as good as anybody.” Sophomore Cole Sullivan — “every time you see him, he makes plays.”