Since the start of the 2023 season, the Michigan football program has had to use an interim head coach eight times for various reasons. Most programs would have folded under such immense pressure. How
did the Wolverines respond? They went 8-0 in those games, including winning their last two games this season without head coach Sherrone Moore.
The secret recipe? Player leadership. In speaking with the media earlier this week, senior defensive end and team captain Derrick Moore was asked about Michigan’s veteran leadership and what it’s like to play without their head coach.
“We don’t have our head coach, but our head coach can’t go out there and play for us,” Derrick Moore said. “No matter who we have or don’t have it’s on us as a team … no matter what the coaches call or who’s not here, it’s on us to go out there and perform and dominate every play.”
He then went on to emphasize that they block out noise as a team and focus only on what they can control. That went pretty well for Moore against Nebraska, as he racked up three tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Steve Casula also harped on the culture of the program this week and waxed poetic about the captains of this team.
“I know that they spoke to the team a time or two like they typically do,” Casula said of the captains during Sherrone Moore’s two-game suspension. “Coach Moore has always said this: priority number one here is our players. This is a player-led and player-driven program as it always has been. So I think we’ve got great leadership.”
Casula shouted out a handful of the players individually for their contributions to the program and the leadership they provide, including the aforementioned Moore and fifth-year senior safety Rod Moore.
“I think you look at Derrick Moore, he’s a guy who’s been here since 2022. He’s done it the right way,” Casula said. “He’s done the dirty work on the defensive side of the ball early in his career and will leave here as a great, great, great, memorable, memorable player.
“(Rod Moore has) done it the right way. He came here when it wasn’t maybe fancy or sexy or popular to come here … Rod committed to us during COVID, and that 2020 year didn’t go great. Rod Moore showed up here in June and got himself ready to play and has battled adversity.”
Casula went onto call linebacker Ernest Hausmann the “right kind of guy” to represent Michigan, and he also gave praise to a few guys on offense.
“Gio’s waited it out, waited his turn and has done it the right way,” Casula said. “Same thing goes for Marlin (Klein) and same thing goes for Max (Bredeson). We have great outstanding leadership — and those are just the defined captain leaders, we’ve got other leaders that are great, too. I’ve always felt strong about our leadership. This is a really good group.”
It’s safe to say the players are the driving force behind the program, which is what you want to see when a solid foundation and culture are in place.
