Why Michigan senior Derrick Moore has 'crazy feeling' about EDGE group in 2025

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football EDGE Derrick Moore came back for his senior year with a purpose. He wanted to boost his own game but also help the Wolverines get back to national title contention after an 8-5 campaign in 2024.

“I was saying to myself and also had to talk to my family about it: I feel like last year, we didn’t accomplish as much as we wanted to accomplish, winning the big games in the beginning of the season, but we finished off strong,” Moore said. “I had that talk, I was like, going into this year, I got a lot of respect for [Michigan head] Coach [Sherrone] Moore, and I want to see him do well here and be a great head coach here. And also I love this place. I felt like my time here wasn’t ready to leave yet.

“I had a talk with my family and Coach Moore and said, ‘Man, I’m just ready to go all out this year and let my last year go with a bang and try to do everything I can to try to get this program back to where we were when I got here.’”

Graduate TJ Guy, a fifth-year senior who broke out as a primary backup last season, came back for similar reasons. That duo is expected to be one of the best in the Big Ten, with Moore (37) and Guy (25) combining for 62 pressures last season.

Moore notched 4 sacks, 2 of which came in the bowl game against Alabama, and Guy added 5.5 as a backup who made spot starts.

“I got a crazy feeling about it,” Moore said. “I feel like me and TJ are about to have one crazy year. Crazy duo.

“This whole offseason, we’ve been grinding, just working. We’re just telling each other, ‘man, this is our last one, so we gotta go out with a bang.’ Also on top of that, just stepping up and being leaders for the team, stuff like that. We’re both not guys who talk as much, so we’re really challenging each other to be that guy on the field but also, how can we help the team get better all as one?”

Moore is looking to set up more of his moves this coming season, helping him become a dominant force on the Michigan defense.

“For myself, knowledge of my game,” Moore said of what he’s looking to improve. “How can I get better with my first step coming off the ball? How can I get better with my hands? People really see me as a speed to power type guy, but I really have a bag to it. I just don’t really get the time to set it up as much. So this year, I’ve also talked to [defensive coordinator] Coach Wink [Martindale] and Coach ‘Phee [Pernell McPhee] about it, they just tell me to go out and be free.

“I don’t have anything to lose this year. Go out and be free, do what you can. That’s the plan this year, so right now I’ve just been trying to focus on the little things that can get me better, so when Saturday comes I can ball out.”

Michigan has two up-and-coming EDGEs, junior Cameron Brandt and sophomore Dominic Nichols, who coaches and teammates have been high on for some time.

“Cam Brandt and Dom are kinda similar to me and TJ,” Moore said. “Same exact personalities from both sides of the ball, and it’s kinda crazy because I’m a quiet guy, Cam’s a quiet guy. TJ and Dom got their own little personal bond and relationship, but they got the same similarities.

“For those two guys, I’m really excited to see what they’re gonna bring to the table this year. They’re both young guys who are stepping into leadership roles. They’ve been waiting, and now I feel like they’re ready for their time.

“They’ve just been the sponge in the room. They took in all the knowledge and feedback and saw everything with the older guys like what me, TJ, J-Stew [Josaiah Stewart] did, and it’s all carried over to them. I see them stepping up, saying stuff to the younger guys that are here now, and I’m just really excited to see what they’re gonna bring this year.”