Rod Moore, Hogan Hansen injury updates: Michigan football standouts closer to returning

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football may have some important pieces back for its second game of the season, Saturday night (Sept. 6) at Oklahoma. Sophomore tight end Hogan Hansen and graduate safety Rod Moore are two players who may suit up after not dressing or playing in the opener against New Mexico.

Hansen went down with an injury this spring, which has yet to be disclosed. He underwent a procedure during the offseason, has been practicing and is nearing a return. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Bellevue, Wash., native flashed as a freshman, hauling in 7 catches for 78 yards and 1 touchdown and is viewed as one of Michigan’s top pass-catchers at his position, if not the best.

“I feel like Hogan is probable,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said at his Monday press conference. “I feel like we’ve got a really good shot for him to play this weekend.

“Excited to get him back. We’ll get him practicing full speed again. And he’s been practicing full speed, getting contact, doing things. But we’ve been very cautious with all of that. I’m not a doctor, like I always say, so I let them handle that.

“But he’s been doing everything, and I feel like we’ve got a great shot of getting him to play this week.”

Rod Moore, meanwhile, hasn’t played since Michigan’s 34-13 national championship game win over Washington Jan. 8, 2024 — 607 days before the Wolverines will play Oklahoma. He suffered a knee injury in March 2024, has undergone two surgeries (torn ACL, torn meniscus) and is finally back practicing. He entered camp around “85 percent” healthy and has suited up in recent days. Moore is a two-time captain.

“Rod is, I’d say, questionable, possible,” Sherrone Moore said. “We’ll see how he feels.”

Michigan sophomore right tackle Andrew Sprague, meanwhile, notched his second career start in the 34-17 victory over New Mexico, but he left the game early. Moore indicated that he was just cramping up, and that he’s good to go for the Oklahoma game.

“He was just cramping — a little cramp — so he’s fine,” Moore noted. “Sprague is phenomenal. I love Sprague.”

Sprague logged 56 snaps and registered a 53.2 overall PFF rating for his performance. He was replaced at the end of the game by classmate Blake Frazier, who saw 8 offensive snaps and had a key block on a 1-yard touchdown run by junior running back Justice Haynes.

Michigan moved junior Evan Link over from right to left tackle ahead of the bowl game last December, and he won the starting job there. Moore discussed the tackle play in general.

“Both of those guys [Sprague and Link] did well,” Moore said. “I think they just continue to get better.

“Moving Evan back to left was good, and they just continue to get better, and we’ll put them in positions to be successful.”