Inside The Huskies

Husky Roster Review: Hayden Moore Now Plays With An Edge

The one-time Michigan transfer made a position switch during spring football practice.
Dan Raley|
Hayden Moore deals with dummy-holding edge coach Aaron Van Horn.
Hayden Moore deals with dummy-holding edge coach Aaron Van Horn. | Skylar Lin Visuals

One of the more ironic sights of University of Washington spring football was one-time Husky defensive-line coach Randy Hart chatting up sophomore defender Hayden Moore before everything got started that day.

A former Ohio State Buckeye talking nice with an ex-Michigan Wolverine.

Yet for the 6-foot-2, 222-pound Moore, he has an increasing history of doing the unconventional.

After all, he's a guy who shared in Michigan's 34-13 national championship victory over the UW 18 months ago and then transferred to Montlake.

In his case, it was if you can beat 'em, join 'em.

A Colorado native, Moore during spring ball made the most radical position move of anyone on the roster, moving from inside linebacker to edge rusher.

Hayden Moore and LB coach Brian Odom chat during stretching.
Hayden Moore and LB coach Brian Odom chat during stretching. | Skylar Lin Visuals

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did this past spring and what to expect from them going forward.

Moore was a linebacker through the UW's first three spring practices before spending the remaining 12 on the edge.

"His length gives us a little versatility," Husky defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said.

Hayden Moore takes aim at a blocking dummy.
Hayden Moore takes aim at a blocking dummy. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Moore spent much of the time teamed with Deshawn Lynch as the second-unit edge rushers. He also shared rotations with Jacob Lane and Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei playing opposite him.

This change of pace even had No. 44 going up against No. 44 at times, with Moore bumping heads in practice with new tight end and USC transfer Kade Eldridge.

"He's doing a good job learning both," Walters said of the defender's former and new assignments.

Moore, it seems, can fit in just about anywhere. Washington opponent. Husky team member.

HAYDEN MOORE FILE

What he's done: After redshirting as a freshman at Michigan, Moore needed much of last season to learn the UW defense before he got on the field and drew playing time in the final three games against UCLA, Oregon and Louisville in the Sun Bowl. He came up with a tackle in El Paso, which stands as his career total.

Starter or not: Still a young player, Moore is deep in the mix at his new position, which will be well fortified this season by veteran players such as Isaiah Ward, Jacob Lane, Zach Durfee, Russell Davis II and Lynch. If he becomes a starter, it'll be a future move for him.

Hayden Moore was in a Michigan uniform for the national championship game against the UW.
Hayden Moore was in a Michigan uniform for the national championship game against the UW. | USA TODAY Sports

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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