Sherrone Moore quick-hitters: Oklahoma thoughts, Michigan offensive line, injuries, more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore met with the media Monday morning ahead of the game at Oklahoma. Here are bullet points with the most notable things he said.

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Sherrone Moore quick-hitters

• Graduate safety Rod Moore is “questionable” for Saturday’s game. It’s “possible” he plays.

• Sophomore tight end Hogan Hansen is “probable” to play. He’s been practicing full speed and will do even more this week.

• Sophomore right tackle Andrew Sprague left the New Mexico game early, but only due to cramps, according to Moore. Sophomore Blake Frazier played 8 snaps to close things out. He will continue to have a role as the third tackle.

• Senior linebacker Jaishawn Barham was ejected for targeting in the third quarter against New Mexico. Michigan and the Big Ten appealed the ruling, but it was upheld. He will be ineligible for the first half at Oklahoma. Moore said he’s not happy about the decision, and neither is the Big Ten, including commissioner Tony Petitti. Moore is, however, confident in Michigan’s other linebackers that will play — senior Ernest Hausmann, senior Jimmy Rolder and sophomore Cole Sullivan.

• Oklahoma is a “really good” and “complete team.” Moore said the return game is “dangerous,” and the offense starts with quarterback John Mateer. He noted the Sooners have a “bevy” of running backs and a good receiver in Deion Burks on the outside. He said the offense spreads the field, and the defense is fast.

• Mateer is “electric” and a “gunslinger” at quarterback. He “makes every throw” and can run well, and Moore noted that Michigan will have to keep him “off schedule.”

• The Oklahoma defense is “fast, physical and fundamentally sound.” Michigan will have to “try to make them miss” and hit some “explosive” plays.

• Senior tight end Marlin Klein “worked himself” into the position he’s in now. He waited his turn behind several NFL tight ends, and Moore is proud of what he’s done. Moore is impressed with his improvement in the passing game.

• Moore played offensive line for Oklahoma, but his “emotional attachment” is to Michigan and its players.

• Former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops is one of Moore’s biggest mentors. He taught him to coach players hard but love them hard as well. He will say hi to Stoops and others he knows before the game, but there won’t be communication with Sooner staff members during the week.

• Watching freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood perform well in Michigan’s opener was “awesome.” The “poise” he had on and off the field (on the sideline with iPads, etc.) was impressive to Moore.

• Moore was asked which position group has to step up the most to take pressure off of a freshman quarterback in Underwood, and he said it’s his former unit — the offensive line. He said they’ve taken criticism but are working extremely hard. He said if Michigan’s offensive line plays well this week, then “we’ll have a good day.” Those players have to “set the tone.”

• Moore said it depends on the season as to how long it takes for an offensive line to jell. He said it took longer in 2023 than it did in 2022, for example.

• Underwood will have to “settle in, in the noise” and only focus on his “job” and the “other 10 guys” on the field with him, when Michigan takes on Oklahoma.

• Michigan didn’t go for fourth down and 1 on its own 48-yard line. Moore mentioned that the officials originally spotted the ball two yards shy of the marker before moving it up, and that he had a lot of confidence in his defense to get a stop. The Wolverines were up 14-0 at the time.