Rod Moore reveals Michigan held team meeting after 'soft' opener

Luka logs his second 50-point game this season

Story by

Story by
Rod Moore reveals Michigan held team meeting after 'soft' opener

Rod Moore reveals Michigan held team meeting after 'soft' opener

Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire · Wolverines Wire

Wed, Sep 9, 2026 ·

3 min read

About Our Ads

ANN ARBOR, Mich. --Teams are generally supposed to have player-led meetings after Week 1, but such was the case for Michigan football on Sunday. Initiated by Trey Pierce to the rest of the team captains, the whole team gathered at Schembechler Hall and spoke frankly about what happened against Western Michigan -- a near loss in a game that was supposed to be a blowout.

Sixth-year safety and fellow team captain Rod Moore detailed a little of what was discussed in the meeting and the team came to one particular conclusion: the Wolverines played soft against the Broncos .

"But it was more so we got to stop being soft, really. Like, that was a soft game." Moore said. "That was not our standard. And we just had to come back this week and work and put on, just do more. I mean, I don't know if you guys seen it on the screen, but it's on every screen. It's just do more to get better. Because like I said, that wasn't a Michigan standard whatsoever."

Michigan football vs Western Michigan
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football assistant RB coach Fred Jackson
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football WR Salesi Moa
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football RB Savion Hiter
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football WR Travis Johnson
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football LB coach Alex Whittingham
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football TE coach Freddie Whittingham
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football DL Enow Etta and John Henry Daley
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football LT Blake Frazier
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football S Rod Moore
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football CB Zeke Berry
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football DC Jay Hill
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football RT Andrew Sprague
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football DT Enow Etta
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football DT Alister Vallejo
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football ST coach Kerry Coombs
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Former Michigan football star LaMarr Woodley
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Former Michigan football DL coach Lou Esposito
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Former Michigan football EDGE Derrick Moore
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football OL coach Jim Harding
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football WR Jaime Ffrench
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football takes the field vs. Western Michigan
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football WR JJ Buchanan
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football LB Aisea Moa
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football EDGE Dom Nichols
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football CB Jyaire Hill
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football RB Bryson Kuzdzal
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football RB Jordan Marshall
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football QB Bryce Underwood
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan AD Warde Manuel
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan scores the game-winning touchdown on a Hail Mary.
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football celebrates the win over Western Michigan
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football's Chris Bryant
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football OT Malakai Lee
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football OL Malakai Lee
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan football beats Western Michigan
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Kyle Whittingham
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Dom Nichols
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Nate Marshall
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Bryce Underwood
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Carter Meadows
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

John Henry Daley
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Trey Pierce
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Michigan Stadium flyover
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Bryce Underwood TD in the first quarter for Michigan football vs. Western Michigan
(Photo: Isaiah Hole, WolverinesWire)

Given all of the offseason talk about what the maize and blue were supposed to be this year -- hard-nosed, stronger, tougher -- to hear a self-admission that the team played soft in Week 1 is rather surprising.

Were the players looking ahead already to Oklahoma ? Did the efficiency of the first drive cause the players to take the foot off the gas, believing that they already had the game in hand? Moore says that he can't really put his finger on it, they just, as he says, have to do more.

"No, I don't think there's really a so-called reason," Moore said. "I think we just went out there and played soft. Like, it was simple as that. It kind of surprised me that we kept going out there on defense. And I really wasn't paying attention to the score until maybe five minutes left in the game. And I'm like, it's 7-9. I'm like, it's Western Michigan and it's 7-9.

"But I mean, there's not really no reason. I think we just didn't have the right mindset, the mentality that we were supposed to have to go in that game and execute like we were supposed to."

Even with how poorly the team played, Moore believes the Wolverines will have a much stronger outing against Oklahoma. Everything he's seen since the Western Michigan game -- from the player-led meeting to the 'bloody Tuesday' practice, he's sure that Michigan will rebound from the abysmal outing on Saturday.

"Just the attitude and the vibe in the building from the coaches and the players," Moore said. "We came in here on Sunday and had a meeting. And then on Monday, yesterday, we went over to film.Everybody understood what the problem was. And I mean, we know what we got to do this week because it's a big game. I mean, that gives me confidence.I just know me leading and me and Jordan and all the captains leading is going to go in there and play with a more physical, a better mentality. And I think everybody's going to follow with that."

We'll get a better idea of who these Wolverines are on Saturday, when Michigan football hosts Oklahoma for a 12:14 p.m. EDT kickoff at The Big House.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Rod Moore reveals Michigan held team meeting after 'soft' opener

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by:

Luka logs his second 50-point game this season

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan vs. Rutgers final injury report: Key starters set to return

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan DC Jay Hill addresses Jason Beck's offensive struggles

Michigan vs. Michigan State injury report: Key starters questionable

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan special teams coach assesses early issues, major bright spot

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan WR coach reveals where battle for No. 3 receiver stands

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

MAC reverses course, appeals Michigan win over Western Michigan

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan plummets in US LBM Coaches Poll after ugly Week 1 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Kyle Whittingham puts Bryce Underwood on notice after shaky opener

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Social media reacts to Michigan's stunning Hail Mary win over WMU

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan freshman OL Malakai Lee climbing depth chart, nearing debut

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan didn't cheat Western Michigan, no matter how loud critics get-Opinion

Kyle Whittingham reacts to Michigan's wild Hail Mary win over WMU

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Why Michigan QB Bryce Underwood is struggling now

Kyle Whittingham provides injury updates on 3 Michigan players

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win

CBS predicts Michigan will hand unbeaten UCLA its first loss

Big Ten football power rankings after Week 1: Who rises, who falls?

Michigan football vs. Western Michigan: Best photos from 13-12 win