2 Michigan Football Veterans Receive Positive Report Ahead of Western Michigan

The Wolverines enter Week 1 nearly at full health.

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Michigan enters the 2026 football season with only one major injury. Freshman offensive lineman Ace Hamilton suffered a season-ending injury in fall camp, and aside from minor setbacks, the Wolverines are going to enter Week 1 unscathed.

And that goes for two veteran defensive players for the 2026 season.

Chris Bracy has been named the standout safety for the Wolverines. The Memphis transfer showed up to play and he has taken over as the top playmaker in the back end. But Rod Moore is also there and while he remains on a pitch count, head coach Kyle Whittingham spoke glowingly about the three-time captain on 'Inside Michigan Football' radio show.

There have been no setbacks for the standout safety and fans can expect to see Moore back there on Saturday night.

“Now Rod has a tremendous upside," Whittingham told Jansen. "We all know what he is and how he's been in the past. He's a guy that I'm so impressed with when he hasn't been able to take every single rep, every practice, we've really put him on a pitch count.

"But he is feeling really good. We just don't want to overdo it. He's not hurting or ailing in any way, shape or form. It's just he hasn't played in two years. So we want to make sure that we continue to — I don't want to say wean him into the program, but make sure that it's, we're in it for the long haul. There's a marathon for Rod, not a sprint. So we're trying to get him to the point where he can run the whole race.”

John Henry Daley is a full go

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While Moore is still getting fully worked in, edge rusher John Henry Daley is already there. The former All-American suffered an Achilles injury last fall, but he's ready to go for Michigan in Week 1.

Whittingham said Daley is as explosive off the ball as he was, or he might even be quicker than he's ever been.

“Yeah, I think Lewis Powell did a great job with John Henry and he is now taking every rep with no limitations," said Whittingham. "We did have him on a pitch count from the onset of fall camp all the way till about maybe 10 days ago.

"And now he is completely integrated into the defense. Doesn't take, he takes the same amount of reps as all the other starters. And so he's ready to go and he's as explosive, maybe even more so and quicker than he's ever been.”

Daley recorded 11.5 sacks last season for Utah, and that was playing in just 11 games. If he can play a full season for Michigan, Daley has a chance to end up as the best pass rusher in the Big Ten.

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