Rod Moore, John Henry Daley return as Michigan football begins camp

Ann Arbor — Defensive lineman John Henry Daley and safety Rod Moore were back on the field Wednesday for the first day of Michigan football practice.

Both players are working their way back from injury and are on a pitch count, meaning their playing time on the field is restricted, but defensive coordinator Jay Hill has high hopes for the two if they continue in the right direction to a full recovery.

“It was pretty fun to see Rod Moore out there again today,” Hill said. “I think it was his third play, and he got an interception, so hopefully that's a phenomenal trend for him.”

Moore only played three games last season after an ACL injury in 2024 spring practice . While playing for Utah last season, Daley had a season-ending injury after a ruptured Achilles tendon in November.

More: Michigan safety Rod Moore healthy, ready to go

“He's about as far along in this progression as I've ever seen anybody with this injury, which is a tribute to John and how he works and the toughness he has,” Hill said. “We're going to have him on the field the way he looked and moved today.”

With the positive trend in Daley’s recovery, Hill said it’s going to be a "dogfight" between the positions.

The four defensive rookies — tackles Titan Davis and Alister Vallejo, and ends Tariq Boney and Carter Meadows — have bright futures. They have a lot to learn about their defense and techniques, but Hill is glad to bring them on and is looking to get them on the field immediately.

The linemen aren’t the only position group Hill is going to have fun solving a puzzle with this season. Smith Snowden, Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill were getting reps in as nickelbacks, and it sparked excitement in Hill’s eyes when talking about their performance after practice.

Nickelback is a multifaceted position. It requires players to be intelligent and skilled in man-to-man coverage along with tackling, and Michigan uses those players in disguises, blitzes, and even zone coverages. Adaptability is key to being a strong nickelback, and it is a premier defensive spot in Hill’s eyes.

“This is the only school I've ever been at where I really believe we could have three great nickels, and I can put different guys in there based on mismatch,” Hill said. “I've never had three interchangeable guys that are so different at that position. It's a fun luxury to have, and I'm kind of excited to see how I come up with how we do it.”

Back in the day, Hill mentioned how head coach Kyle Whittingham used the same defense for 30 years, but the defensive coordinator is looking for evolution this year. It’s been said that Michigan will have a complicated defense, and Hill admits they’re not there yet, but they are picking it up.

The team is at about 60% of grasping the install and game plan he has in store for them, and there is a possibility they may not make it to 100% this season. They’ll be good this year, and better next year, but the goal for Hill is to see them get better day by day and iron out the wrinkles game by game.

“I think the biggest key for where we're at right now is continuing to grow our culture, grow the toughness, grow the discipline, just grow what we need to do to become a great team,” Hill said. “The best teams aren't always the most talented. It's the best team, and that's where we are in the fight to just become the best team possible. I do like the talent, and I like a lot of the position groups. I just want to see how we progress.”

Tatum sticking with UM baseball

Taylor Tatum will not be with the Michigan football team this season, but he will be with Michigan baseball. Michigan confirmed Tuesday he is no longer on the football roster .

“Yes, he is sticking with baseball,” Michigan baseball coach Tracy Smith said in a text Wednesday to The Detroit News.

Tatum was the No. 1 running back recruit in the 2024 class and was at Oklahoma before transferring in January to Michigan. He had moved to safety after arriving in Ann Arbor, but he wasn’t on the roster when it was released Tuesday.

He is an outfielder and was a two-time first-team all-district selection in Texas.

“He’s a potential high-round (MLB draft) pick,” Smith told The News in January. “He's got a good arm, good bat, but truth be told, baseball is not something that's easy to sit out for a year and a half and then pick it up. So we'll know more, but he's a really good athlete. He's a good kid and a hard worker, so he'll fit in.”

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Angelique S. Chengelis contributed.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Rod Moore, John Henry Daley return as Michigan football begins camp

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