Rod Moore and John Henry Daley were back on the field for Michigan this past Saturday, and holy moly, did Daley ever make his presence felt! The man pulled down a massive 51-snap workload in Week 1 after coming back from a ruptured Achilles tendon. That’s pure grit right there, man. The Wolverines came out of their first game pretty much as healthy as they went in, which is always a win in itself. But getting these two defensive playmakers back, even if they aren’t totally back to 100%, is a shot in the arm for the entire squad. This means the big focus for Week 2 isn’t freaking out over new injuries, but rather getting our key guys fully integrated and ready to roll.
Who’s Getting Back to Practice This Week?
Okay, so let’s talk about the crew who missed out on Saturday’s action. Tight end Hogan Hansen, offensive lineman Andrew Babalola, and edge rusher Carter Meadows were all stuck on the sidelines in street clothes. Missing three playmakers like that against anyone is a bummer, but the vibe from Coach Kyle Whittingham is all about getting them back ASAP. He’s got high hopes that all three will hit the practice field this week, a crucial step before we face Oklahoma. Whittingham specifically said, “Hogan, this week we’re gonna try to get him integrated back into practice, as well as Carter, those two guys.” And he didn’t forget Babalola, adding, “As well as Andrew Babalola, who should hopefully be out here in practice tomorrow. We’ll see.” Fingers, toes, everything crossed that we get those guys integrated back, because every healthy body counts.
Daley and Moore: The Comeback Kids Report Card
While we’re buzzing about potential returns, we gotta talk about the two absolute warriors who *did* make it back! Safety Rod Moore made his triumphant return after missing pretty much all of the last two years. Seriously, he tore his ACL way back in spring ball of 2024, so seeing him out there was just awesome. Then there’s John Henry Daley, our new edge rusher transfer from Utah, who debuted after battling back from a ruptured Achilles. What does Coach Whittingham think? He liked what he saw, even though he admitted neither is quite “peak game” yet. “I thought John Henry played well,” Whittingham said, and then the kicker, “He’s not at the peak of his game yet. He’s still ramping up, but he played 51 snaps, I think, which is a pretty heavy load for coming off the injury that he did. But he was effective.” Fifty-one snaps after an Achilles tear?! That’s insane, in the best way possible. Rod was also “effective,” Whittingham noted, but maybe he got “a few more snaps than he should have, maybe a little less of a workload.” Still, the takeaway is crystal clear: “But both of them contributed, and both of them did a nice job.” You can’t ask for much more from guys coming off such brutal injuries.
Next up on the schedule: Oklahoma! This isn’t just another game, it’s a chance to see how far these guys can push their recovery and if Hansen, Babalola, and Meadows can get back into game shape. Every single snap is going to matter, and getting this squad to full strength is the absolute mission. Let’s go!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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