Crossing Enemy Lines, Moore Is Loyal To The Cause In Montlake

By now, Hayden Moore is recognized as a full-fledged, card-carrying member of the University of Washington football team, as a fourth-year junior and a veteran player, whose allegiances are clear and unquestioned.

Yet two and a half years ago, some of his teammates had to be looking at him a little sideways.

It was then that he transferred from Michigan to the UW, just a few months after sharing in the Wolverines' 34-13 victory over the Huskies in the CFP national championship game in Houston.

All of a sudden, the boys from Montlake were sleeping with the enemy.

"I didn't think of it as too weird at all," Moore said. "An opportunity came and I took it."

It's not clear how many of his new teammates have asked to see his championship ring that came at the expense of the boys in Montlake.

Since joining the Huskies, the 6-foot-3, 238-pounder from Parker, Colorado, also has changed positions from linebacker to edge rusher.

He's gone from an unused redshirt to someone with 16 games of experience, making him much more of a UW player than he was a Michigan man.

Hayden Moore comes up with the football during the Spring Game. | Dave Sizer photo

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the UW roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did in spring practice and what to expect from them going into fall camp.

Just nine UW players remain from that title-game roster from three seasons ago. Add to that Moore isn't the only guy on this team who's been on the opposite sideline against the Huskies in recent years. He's part of a nine-player contingent that's crossed over.

Players going from one side to the other are linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah (WSU), edge rusher Russell Davis II (Arizona), punter Luke Dunne (Oregon), tight end Kade Eldridge (USC), cornerback Manny Karnley (Arizona), running back Jayden Limar (Oregon), linebacker Jacob Manu (Arizona) and edge rusher Isaiah Ward (Arizona).

Hayden Moore goes through an edge-rusher drill in Husky Stadium. | Dave Sizer photo

Preparing for a third UW season, Moore had an abbreviated spring. Early on, he was relegated to riding an exercise bike at practice, this after going through a full regimen of exercises to deal with an unspecified injury, though he wore a right knee brace.

He pulled on a uniform for the ninth practice, needed a couple days to get acclimated and then finished strong.

In the Spring Game, Moore got into the backfield and dropped freshman quarterback Derek Zammit for a 10-yard loss four plays before everything ended.

That was as good of a loyalty test as any in Montlake.

Hayden Moore (44) of Michigan heads to field to face Washington in the 2024 national title game. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

What he's done: Moore played in all 13 UW outings in 2025, and three the season before. He has 4 career tackles as a college player. He knows his way around on game day.

Starter or not: He could probably handle a game-opening assignment for the Huskies if needed but he's behind seniors Jacob Lane and Isaiah Ward entering the fall, and mixed in with some fairly capable reserves in sophomore Devin Hyde, junior Russell Davis II and promising freshman Ramzak Fruean. For now, he'll fill in.

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