LOS ANGELES, Ca.– I just spoke with Michigan football star safety Rod Moore about the Alabama offense and what looks like it may give the Wolverines. Yesterday, Bama quarterback Jalen Milroe explained that the SEC has the Tide prepped to face the Wolverines’ defense and its hidden coverages; however, Moore told me that he feels that Michigan will be able to hide things from Bama in the Rose Bowl, just as it did against Ohio State.
Michigan football star talks about Rose Bowl matchup with Alabama
For the second season in a row, Michigan football is 13-0 heading into the College Football Playoff — in large part due to the Wolverines’ impressive defense. Earlier this year, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the best wideout in the country, explained that he had never seen coverage like what Michigan was throwing at him during “The Game,” which saw the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 30-24.
That said, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe seemed less concerned with Michigan’s hidden coverages, citing his SEC experience as a reason for confidence against the Maize and Blue. I just had a chance to speak with Michigan football safety Rod Moore, one of the best in the sport, who expressed overwhelming confidence in his team’s ability to execute their game plan in the Rose Bowl.
“Yes (I feel confident in Michigan’s scheme), I believe he hasn’t seen a lot of the looks we’re about to give him (Milroe),” Moore said. “… Like Marvin Harrison said — we’ve got all these defenses in the Big Ten, but he hadn’t seen anything that we ran.”
Rod Moore called CFP a “money game” and more
The Michigan football star also told me that facing Alabama in the Rose Bowl is a “money game,” pitting the best against the best with the whole nation watching.
“We just take it as an opportunity game and a money game, because you can make money off this,” he said. “Being able to cover — especially the guys that (Alabama) has.”
Rose Bowl has a different feel to it
Michigan Football-Alabama Rose Bowl will be played on Monday. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
It’s Michigan’s third straight trip to the College Football Playoff, but it’s the Rose Bowl, and it’s Alabama. Of course, some of Michigan’s top players told me today that this is a business trip for them, and that it being the Rose Bowl makes no difference; however, Rod Moore said that this one is a bit different, though the differences only started to set in once Michigan got to LA on Wednesday.
“When we got here it didn’t feel any different, but now that we’re here, and it’s really the Rose Bowl — I believe everybody that’s about to be on that field on Monday watched the Rose Bowl as a kid,” Rod Moore told me. “… When we step on the field, it’s gonna be a lot of energy, a lot of hype.”
Michigan football and Alabama have a few more days of prep — including a pair of open practices today and tomorrow — before taking the field in the Rose Bowl on Monday. Blue by Ninety will have up-to-date coverage daily as Michigan’s third straight College Football Playoff bout approaches.
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