The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531518
FEBRUARY 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 21 Before U-M's game with Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, Michigan coaches knew they were going to need a few players to step up with all the opt-outs they were facing. Enter junior Derrick Moore, who played well this year but didn't put up the kinds of numbers of a dominant edge rusher thanks in large part to other elite players getting to the quarterback just before him. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale might not have known what a great game Moore was going to play, but he was clear he had high expectations for his athletic defensive end. "Derrick was banged up this year, but I think he will have another gear just like anybody that gets a year older," Martindale said before the bowl game. "He'll have another year of experience. "He had a lot of 'almost' sacks this year where he slid off a guy, or what he did was free up [edge] Josaiah [Stewart] or whoever it was, to get to the quarterback. He's a very selfless player, and I think both he and [young line- man] Cam [Brandt] are going to be fun to watch. They're going to be there." And they were. Moore was dominant, in fact, notching 4 tackles — in- cluding 2 sacks — recovering a fumble and recording several pressures. He showed his power repeatedly with a bull rush that Alabama's future NFL tack- les couldn't match, and it helped lift the play of the entire U-M defensive line. By the end of the day, Michigan fans were probably thinking, "We're glad he announced he's already coming back instead of going pro," given how much his stock probably rose with NFL scouts. Alabama might not have expected the relentless pressure it saw from the Michigan front. "I think they wanted to throw the ball on us," Moore said with a grin. "They have great receivers. They have a great quarterback … got a great O-line. I think they wanted to get the deep ball on our secondary. But our secondary, they're too good. They found a way to strap it up and get out after them." But it was the line that really carried the defense to victory, and Moore was the catalyst. He'd been getting pressure and moving quarterbacks all year, only to have someone else finish the job. Dec. 31 was his turn to eat. "I would say it was my best game, but when you're out there with three first-rounders, they take all the damn sacks," Moore quipped. "They make it difficult to get to the quarterback. "Today was my time to shine. I just feel like I've been patient my whole col- lege career, and I'm just proud I could show the world what I could do today. "I feel like we really did show the world what we've got going into next year with who we have back and the guys coming in. Next year we can strap it up, reload and dominate." Given what he and his teammates accomplished Dec. 31 versus Alabama, there should be plenty of optimism. — Chris Balas Junior Derrick Moore (8) was dominant in the win against Alabama, finishing with 4 solo tackles, including 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery deep in Crimson Tide territory that led to a U-M field goal. He will be joined by TJ Guy (42) and Brandyn Hillman (6) as key returnees on defense next fall. PHOTO COURTESY RELIAQUEST BOWL/STEVE JACOBSON Breakout Performer Derrick Moore Is One To Build Around