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Two-time Michigan football captain Rod Moore, who has played in three games the last two seasons, said he is feeling the best he’s felt since suffering a torn knee ligament in spring 2024. He has since undergone three surgeries and anticipates being full go for the start of preseason camp.
Moore, granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA earlier this year, tore his ACL and meniscus in March 2024 during spring practice, had surgery on the left knee and missed the season. In April 2025, he had another surgery on the meniscus and was hopeful for a full return. He was limited, however, during the 2025 season, appearing in three games at safety starting with Nebraska on Sept. 20. He had an interception against Wisconsin on Oct. 4 and started at USC on Oct. 11 before shutting it down. In January this year, he had a procedure to remove scar tissue and did not participate in spring practice.
“I'm feeling the best I felt since March 27, 2024, the exact day I tore my ACL, but I'm feeling great,” Moore said on the “In the Trenches” podcast with host Jon Jansen on Wednesday. “Took three surgeries, but now I'm feeling like I haven't felt the past two years. I'm moving around, running straight line back, feeling fast again, and it's just a matter of getting the coordination back under my feet. I didn't really understand this, but when you come back off of an injury like that, and go through three surgeries, your body forgets how to do certain things, and it's been times where I was frustrated, because I might be able to do this, but now it's like it just takes time to get it back under you.”
Moore joked he feels like an “old man” now because of the time it takes to get prepared for working out. It has been important to strengthen his quads and hamstrings during his recovery process.
More: Michigan's Rod Moore poised to return after knee issues: 'Finally taking that next step'
His goal was to return this month for offseason workouts with the team.
“I got to hit it running in June,” he said. “I’ve got to be full go being able to participate in all the workouts, which I fully anticipate on doing. It's just staying healthy, getting healthy, and just dominating the entire summer and coming into fall camp Day 1 just going.”
Moore was able to play in those three games last season but discomfort in the knee shortened his comeback.
“It was super special,” Moore said of playing again. “(Nebraska) was the first game back. I only played nine plays, but it was like I felt alive again. (Football) is a thing that I do. I've been doing this since I was in first grade, and (2024), that was my first time ever sitting out a whole year of my life of any sport, and it was kind of hard. But you learn to be grateful for the game of football, and like the grind and the strain of it. Sometimes you kind of take it for granted and be like, this is hard, but you miss doing that type of stuff and being out there with the guys. Especially being at the Big House the second game against Wisconsin, coming back, I forgot how it felt to play in the Big House, and it was just like a surreal moment again.”
Sitting out again after the USC game was the smart decision, Moore said.
“Rather than getting frustrated at the process,” he said. “I wasn't ready, so just got to understand that I wasn't ready, and just wait till my time comes to be ready again.”
Moore's focus is returning to the field and playing fully healthy, but he could become Michigan’s first three-time captain this fall.
“It meant everything to me when I was a first-time captain,” Moore said. “And then repeated it for a second year, but it (would) be crazy (to be a third-year captain).”
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@chengelis
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan safety Rod Moore aims to be 'full-go' for preseason camp
Continue reading...
Moore, granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA earlier this year, tore his ACL and meniscus in March 2024 during spring practice, had surgery on the left knee and missed the season. In April 2025, he had another surgery on the meniscus and was hopeful for a full return. He was limited, however, during the 2025 season, appearing in three games at safety starting with Nebraska on Sept. 20. He had an interception against Wisconsin on Oct. 4 and started at USC on Oct. 11 before shutting it down. In January this year, he had a procedure to remove scar tissue and did not participate in spring practice.
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“I'm feeling the best I felt since March 27, 2024, the exact day I tore my ACL, but I'm feeling great,” Moore said on the “In the Trenches” podcast with host Jon Jansen on Wednesday. “Took three surgeries, but now I'm feeling like I haven't felt the past two years. I'm moving around, running straight line back, feeling fast again, and it's just a matter of getting the coordination back under my feet. I didn't really understand this, but when you come back off of an injury like that, and go through three surgeries, your body forgets how to do certain things, and it's been times where I was frustrated, because I might be able to do this, but now it's like it just takes time to get it back under you.”
Moore joked he feels like an “old man” now because of the time it takes to get prepared for working out. It has been important to strengthen his quads and hamstrings during his recovery process.
More: Michigan's Rod Moore poised to return after knee issues: 'Finally taking that next step'
His goal was to return this month for offseason workouts with the team.
“I got to hit it running in June,” he said. “I’ve got to be full go being able to participate in all the workouts, which I fully anticipate on doing. It's just staying healthy, getting healthy, and just dominating the entire summer and coming into fall camp Day 1 just going.”
Moore was able to play in those three games last season but discomfort in the knee shortened his comeback.
“It was super special,” Moore said of playing again. “(Nebraska) was the first game back. I only played nine plays, but it was like I felt alive again. (Football) is a thing that I do. I've been doing this since I was in first grade, and (2024), that was my first time ever sitting out a whole year of my life of any sport, and it was kind of hard. But you learn to be grateful for the game of football, and like the grind and the strain of it. Sometimes you kind of take it for granted and be like, this is hard, but you miss doing that type of stuff and being out there with the guys. Especially being at the Big House the second game against Wisconsin, coming back, I forgot how it felt to play in the Big House, and it was just like a surreal moment again.”
Sitting out again after the USC game was the smart decision, Moore said.
“Rather than getting frustrated at the process,” he said. “I wasn't ready, so just got to understand that I wasn't ready, and just wait till my time comes to be ready again.”
Moore's focus is returning to the field and playing fully healthy, but he could become Michigan’s first three-time captain this fall.
“It meant everything to me when I was a first-time captain,” Moore said. “And then repeated it for a second year, but it (would) be crazy (to be a third-year captain).”
[email protected]
@chengelis
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan safety Rod Moore aims to be 'full-go' for preseason camp
Continue reading...
