Sherrone Moore quick-hitters: Updates on Justice Haynes, Wink Martindale, Rod Moore

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore met with the media Monday morning as his team begins preparation for the Dec. 31 Citrus Bowl against Texas. Here are bullet points with the most notable things he said.

Sherrone Moore quick-hitters

• Moore said he’s telling Michigan defenders that coordinator Wink Martindale will be back for a third season with the Wolverines.

• Moore said “I think so” when he was asked if Michigan graduate safety Rod Moore will be back for a sixth season, but it’s not official and that decision will be made with doctors and his family.

• The Michigan coach hopes that Rod Moore and graduate quarterback Mikey Keene will be back next season, and he doesn’t expect either to play in the Citrus Bowl.

• Conversations are ongoing regarding junior running back Justice Haynes‘ stay-or-go decision with the option to leave early for the 2026 NFL Draft.

• Texas quarterback Arch Manning has improved throughout the season. Moore saw the criticism early but he’s a “heck of a player.” Edge rusher Colin Simmons, meanwhile, is “pretty special, pretty elite.”

• Moore credited Ohio State for playing “really well” and being the better team that day in Michigan’s 27-9 loss Nov. 29. He said the Wolverines wanted to be balanced offensively, and that they had success running the ball early on but not as much as the game progressed. He said Michigan has moved on but has to learn from it and keep rolling.

• A lot of freshmen from the 2026 signing class could impact next year, per Moore, who said running back Savion Hiter is special.

• Moore isn’t concerned about Notre Dame’s decision to quit on the season and not play in a bowl game, noting that the Wolverines won’t be doing that any time soon. Moore noted that you “only get better at football by playing it” and that the Wolverines are excited for the opportunity.

• The things that Moore wants to see freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood do in the bowl game are going through his progressions, staying true to his reads and being who he is.

• Most of Michigan’s incoming freshman early enrollees will report in January, not in December ahead of the bowl game due to a new rule change.

• When asked about underrated recruits, Moore mentioned offensive lineman Marky Walbridge and defensive tackle Alister Valliejo.

• On offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and his system: “Chip has full autonomy. The offensive staff has full autonomy. I don’t call plays. I don’t make the decisions. I just help out where need be. We just have to continue as a whole offense in the building to make sure it’s the best for the players that we have and continue to work forward that way.”

• When asked if Michigan got to everything in Lindsey’s offense in year one, Moore said they used a lot of it but you can’t do as much with a lot of young players, so it could progress in the future.

• Michigan has already begun planning for the transfer portal window that begins in January, and the Wolverines have to find talented players that also fit U-M. He said money is a piece of it that’s important.

• On retaining players, it’s not just money that’s a factor — though it is — but also relationships and love and the University of Michigan being an attractive place to remain.

• Michigan will lose a lot of core defensive linemen next season, but the plan for the bowl game is to “go play to win,” not necessarily give younger players playing time because they’ll be back in 2026.

• On the pass rush against Ohio State, Moore said that Michigan “has to get there — plain and simple” and that they “got to do better.”

• On the positives and negatives of Underwood’s season to this point and the teaching points that he needs to apply moving forward: “Obviously, learning the play book, knowing what’s going on, being able to make some spectacular throws like he has throughout the year — throwing on the move, throwing in the pocket, throwing different things. But I think definitely just continue to work on all the fundamantals, starting with your feet. Make sure your feet are right. Make sure your eyes are exactly where they need to be — not looking at rushes. But everybody else has to continue to get better around him, too. All the point always gets pointed at the quarterback, whether it was Bryce, whether it was J.J. [McCarthy], whether it was Cade [McNamara]. What does the quarterback do wrong? Everybody else has to be good around him, as well.”

• Michigan is looking into adding another dedicated quarterbacks coach in addition to Lindsey and assistants Josh Sinagoga and Travis Russell. Moore also mentioned the option of moving staffers around.

• Michigan senior linebacker Ernest Hausmann is “working through something,” and the Wolverines are supporting him. Moore essentially declined to answer whether or not he is with the team at this time, but did mention that he doesn’t feel like Hausmann, a captain, quit on the team.