Hayden Moore Prepares New Team to Face Old Team

The former Michigan linebacker transferred to the UW in the offseason.

Hayden Moore gives chase after Adam Mohammed in practice. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Getting his University of Washington football team ready for Saturday's game against 10th-ranked Michigan, linebacker Hayden Moore is on the Husky scout team, pretending to be one of the Wolverines.

Except Moore doesn't have to dig deep to pull off this role.

Ten months ago, the 6-foot-2, 222-pound redshirt freshman from Parker, Colorado, showed up for the CFP national championship game dressed in a Michigan uniform, though he didn't play against the Huskies that night or appear in any other Wolverines outings.

Moore, not to be confused with UW tight end Quentin Moore, who's no relation, transferred following Michigan spring football and is now working his way up the ranks in Jedd Fisch's program and in a position group lined with seniors. He can show his new teammates his national championship ring that he received at their expense.

"He's a young player that has a lot of potential to be a really good linebacker for us," Fisch said this week. "We're really excited that he chose to come here."

Moore is one of two former Michigan players -- senior wide receiver Giles Jackson is the other -- who will be in a purple uniform when the Wolverines and Huskies kick off on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in a game that will be nationally televised.

He hails from Denver's southern suburbs, which is where the Huskies successfully recruited former offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten, now with the Baltimore Ravens, and current redshirt freshman offensive guard Zach Henning. Their high schools -- Moore's Regis Catholic, Rosengarten's Valor Christian and Henning's Grandview -- are all located in a 15-mile radius.

Hayden Moore heads for the field with his then Michigan teammates for the CFP title game against Washington. / USA Today Sports

Moore was a late recruiting addition for Michigan a year ago and then was named defensive scout team player of the week four times during the Wolverines' national championship season run, which included a 34-13 title-game win over the UW.

As Fisch pointed out, the Michigan defense has changed its scheme some after coach Jim Harbaugh and a host of players left, including Moore, so he can't really provide any insight to anything new the Wolverines might do.

Hayden Moore (44) takes part in Husky linebacker drills during fall camp. / Dan Raley

Moore, a rangy player with a thick goatee, should be ready to compete for game-day minutes and maybe even a starting job next season, once players such as seniors Alphonzo Tuputala, Carson Bruener and Drew Fowler have moved on.

For now, this Colorado kid will try to get his new college football team ready to beat his old team.

"I think over the course in time he's going to be a really good contributor," Fisch said.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington