Rod Moore grew up in Clayton, OH — just
an hour’s drive from Columbus — with many of
his closest family and friends as Buckeyes fans.
While they’ve always supported Michigan’s
sophomore safety, they refused to shift their alle-
giances in the rivalry for Moore’s first matchup
against Ohio State last November.
That’s why, in the aftermath of the Wolver-
ines’ upset win, Moore couldn’t help but relish in
the result.
“I was going back talking to all of them,”
Moore said. “Telling them like, ‘What happened?
I told y’all we were going to beat them.’ ”
This confidence radiates in Moore’s play on
the field, exemplified by the career-high nine
tackles he made that day. As a true freshman and
former 3-star recruit, though, he didn’t always
expect to be starting against the Buckeyes after
arriving on campus just that summer.
But Anthony Broering, Moore’s football coach
at Northmont High School, certainly did.
“When he left our program, I told the coaches
he’ll have a chance to get on the field first before
all the other guys because he’s so fast,” Broering
told The Daily. “I predicted that Rod would have
the best chance to get on the field early.”
Broering has served as the football coach at
Northmont for over three decades, and he knew
Rod was different when he first saw him running
track in eighth grade. The Thunderbolts play in
the Greater Western Ohio Conference, one of the
most talented high school football leagues in the
state. To keep pace with the competition, Broer-
ing typically rolls out juniors and seniors who’ve
had a couple years to develop in the program.
But Moore was too good to be kept on the side-
line for that long.
“He was literally the only sophomore out of
22 that played,” Broering said. “We knew that he
was going to be really good when he was really
young.”
Despite his youth, Moore set himself apart
with his blazing speed. The summer before his
senior year, he ran a 4.38 forty-yard dash at a
camp hosted by Pitt and that trait translated to
the football field.
Throughout his high school career, his side-
line-to-sideline quickness made him an asset
covering ground from the free safety position.
Moore combined this speed with physicality to
stifle opponents on the ground. He frequently
crashed down from the secondary to get directly
to the ball, turning what looked like an easy gain
into a loss.
These natural traits helped Moore to excel on
the football field. But he also possessed a relent-
less dedication to improving, whether that was
hitting the weight room, studying extra film or
keeping up with his academics, which allowed
him to establish himself.
“We kind of imprinted on him how important
(that work ethic) was,” Broering said. “But he put
that upon himself because he is such a hard work-
er, he wants to know the answer. So, he studies
really really well. And he’s super smart.”
Moore’s individual success then carried over
to the rest of his team. The Thunderbolts went
8-0 in the 2020 season before their playoff run
was cut short due to COVID-19.
Despite his ascent on the field, where Moore
racked up 68 tackles for the year, he never
wavered on his initial commitment to the Wol-
verines he made back in the spring of his junior
year. In December 2020, he officially signed his
letter of intent.
Unlike many of Michigan’s recruits, though,
Moore didn’t arrive on campus until July — miss-
ing valuable time to learn a complex defensive
scheme during spring practice. Moore, as the the
538th ranked player in 2021 class, was underrated
already and now was at a further disadvantage.
But, just as he felt at Northmont, Moore was
confident he could earn playing time quickly —
and his work ethic was a byproduct of this mind-
set. In fall camp, Moore constantly watched film,
studying tape of himself in practice to fix his mis-
takes. When the season began, Moore watched
the film from team meetings again before prac-
tice to get a better feel of what he needed to focus
on.
That dedication didn’t go unnoticed.
“You can just tell how much he was studying
from the beginning of training camp,” Michigan
coach Jim Harbaugh said last November. “The
hours he was putting in on his iPad watching
tape was the most of anybody on the team.”
The coaching staff didn’t think Moore would
come along so quickly. But Moore’s trust in his
natural abilities and extra effort off-field made
noise which could only be ignored for so long.
Ahead of Michigan’s pivotal showdown at
Penn State last season, with the Wolverines’ Col-
lege Football Playoff hopes hanging in the bal-
ance, Moore earned the starting nod. He hasn’t
relinquished that role since.
“It was hard at first,” Moore said of his fresh-
man season. “But as I continued to go and got my
chance, I just made the best of the opportunity
that was given. And it just went up from there.”
In his debut, Moore held his own, accumulat-
ing six tackles. Just two weeks later, Moore drew
the start against his hometown Buckeyes, mak-
ing an impact in Michigan’s biggest win in two
decades.
This season, Moore was one of the only
returning players to the safety group. With Dax
Hill and Brad Hawkins both departing the pro-
gram, Moore became an obvious player to slot in
as a starter from the opening game.
But Moore didn’t want to just be plugged in
for lack of a better option. He believed he could
elevate his game. To do so, he just had to slow
down.
“He tries to do a lot,” Michigan defensive
backs coach Steve Clinkscale said. “That’s prob-
ably the biggest thing I tell him, ‘Just don’t do so
much. Do your job. Let it come to you. The ball
will come to you, the players will come to you.’
And he’s starting to embrace that.”
JOSH TAUBMAN
Daily Sports Editor
Inside
Inside
Rod Moore
Rod Moore's
s
ascension
ascension:
How his
How his
confidence
confidence
quickl
y
quickl
y
earned him a
earned him a
starting role
starting role
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Since accepting the offer to lead the Universi-
ty of Michigan as its 15th president this summer,
I’ve been waiting for this special day to arrive.
The Game – the greatest tradition in college
football – will see the University of Michigan
facing off against Ohio State for the 118th time.
And as a new member of the Wolverine family
experiencing this spectacle for the first time, I
feel like a freshman again.
Intercollegiate athletics, especially at the
exceptional level of our two universities, are a
tremendous source of pride for our campuses,
our alumni and our supporters. And traditions
like these bring people together and help make
our institutions unique.
Now, let’s talk about the Buckeyes.
As the former president of the University
of Cincinnati, I had the pleasure of serving an
institution located only about 100 miles down
Interstate 71 from Ohio State.
When I was recently asked by a Michigan
Daily reporter how my experience at Cincinna-
ti shaped my views on Ohio State, I must admit
my mind went to athletics first. It went to Sep-
tember 2014 and the stinging 50-28 loss that
the Bearcats football team experienced at Ohio
Stadium. We earned a conference co-champion-
ship that season, but that loss still stings.
As a sports fan, I’ve never been much of a
scarlet-and-gray kind of guy.
But working close to Columbus for years
offered me a unique vantage point as both a
researcher and university administrator into
what Ohio State is all about – academic excel-
lence, innovative research, quality health care
and the public good.
This became especially evident during the
depths of COVID-19, when researchers and
health professionals at OSU – just like at U-M
– led the way in tackling some of the pandem-
ic’s most pressing challenges in clinics, research
labs and hospital rooms.
Thanks in no small part to the expertise,
leadership and tireless effort put forth by so
many at our two great public research institu-
tions, the Wolverines will enter the Horseshoe
safe and healthy. And they’ll exit – of course – as
Victors.
Just as with many research areas, U-M’s
goals often align with our rival’s. I congratulate
and thank all students and campus community
members from both universities who rolled up
their sleeves for the 40th annual Blood Battle
to address critical blood shortages. Our univer-
sities also work together as founding members
of the American Talent Initiative, an important
effort to expand access and opportunity to tal-
ented lower-income students.
In many ways, our two storied institutions
are more alike than anyone would ever care to
admit
On a chilly Saturday in late November amid
the thunderous din of marching bands and
screaming fans.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do all we can
to support our team. Let’s grab our maize and
blue gear, sing “The Victors,” and make it two in
a row over the Buckeyes!
Go Blue!
READ MORE AT MICHIGANDAIL
Y.COM
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CROWLEY, EMMA MATI, JULIA SCHACHINGER,
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