Michigan vs. Texas availability report released for Week 2
ANN ARBOR – The Big Ten-mandated Michigan Wolverines vs. Texas availability report is out ahead of Saturday’s Week 2 showdown with a handful of designations for the home team. Three players are out for the Wolverines, none that were expected to start or play a ton.
Senior Rod Moore suffered a knee injury in spring ball and is expected to miss the season, while safety Jaden Mangham is on the report this week as OUT. Senior walk-on wideout Joe Taylor’s condition is undisclosed. No others appear in this week’s report. Quarterback Jack Tuttle, who was out last week, is listed as questionable.
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Here is the full list of players on the report for Michigan this week.
MICHIGAN AVAILABILITY REPORT
Out
– Senior safety Rod Moore
– Junior safety Jaden Mangham
– Senior wide receiver Joe Taylor
Questionable
– Graduate quarterback Jack Tuttle
Sherrone Moore weighs in on Texas matchup
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore weighed in on the challenge this week going up against a team that is expected to push for the College Football Playoff and compete for a national championship.
“Yeah, we’re super excited for the challenge,” Moore said. “You know, we’ve got a really good football team coming in, in all three phases. Coach Sark has done a really good job with the program. And, you know, on offense, they present challenges because of the way he calls the game and what he does, his creativity, his rhythm. Obviously, they have a really great quarterback. Skilled players, fast everywhere. Running back is really good. I know they got the other two that got hurt, but the running back they have now is really good, too. And the line is as good as you’ll see in the country. So, I know our defense is excited for the challenge to go against them in offensively. Their defense played very well. Sound, not very many mistakes. I think they have four returning starters on defense and they have guys that have played. So, super excited for Saturday.”
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian knows the challenge will be difficult and that Michigan will be ready defensively.
“I think naturally, Wink’s trademark and the wrinkle that you see in it is the pressure packages,” Sarkisian said on the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday. “He’s — and he’ll be the first one to tell you. I worked with Wink, I know, he’ll be the first one to tell you: He’s going to pressure you. He likes to cut it up and send DBs and send linebackers and attack protections and things of that nature, so he’s not afraid to do it.”
“The thing that makes them unique is that they’re still very sound in the backend,” Sarkisian said. “He’s got his coverage bases really well organized and just because he’s pressuring doesn’t mean they’re playing man coverage. They’re a lot of variation to the coverages, zone coverages, droppers, things of that nature. But I would just say the amount of blitzers and the consistent fashion in which they’ll bring people, the percentages of that is definitely up from the last couple of years.”
Michigan and Texas kick off at 12 p.m. ET on FOX as part of its Big Noon Saturday coverage. The Longhorns are a 7-point favorite with the over/under for total points scored set at 42.5. Next week, the Wolverines host Arkansas State at home at noon on Big Ten Network.
