Blue By Ninety - All-Big Ten DE Derrick Moore joins to talk his return to Michigan for 2025

Episode Date: February 3, 2025

Justin and Tanner are joined by rising senior DE Derrick Moore who talks about his return for 2025, what clicked with the Michigan defense, and his expectations for this season.

all right welcome back to blue by 90 i'm justin joined by tanner and today we've got a special guest somebody who's coming back to michigan for 2025 derrick moore defensive end for the wolverines derrick how you doing today i appreciate y'all having me of course man of course we're excited to have you back um i mean let's start there there, what was the process for you to make that decision, deciding, you know, all right, we're either testing out the draft or, you know, coming back and making a run for it in 2025? Really, like, I really want to say it really wasn't the process. I feel like I kind of already had my mind made up, you know,

after talking with, like, my family and also Coach Moore. You know, I just felt like I needed to run it back one more time. I just felt like last year just wasn't a year that we were planning on having. It was just really a lesson. You know, I talked to Coach Moore about it. It was a lesson for all of us, you know, being into, like, new roles and filling new shoes from like players and coaches. And I feel like now we know how it feels to be on the other side.

And I told him that and I said like when I got here, like this wasn't the standard, you know. So I want to help rebuild the standard and help rebuild the team to get us back to where we were two years ago. Derek, what do you think was the – I mean, at the end of the year, I mean, you're playing phenomenal on defense. I mean, you're playing some of the best offenses in the country, and they can't move a ball.

They can't score. What do you think was the biggest – I don't know if it was a change or just a light, you know, just coming on. Like, what was that moment that you look back to it was like that's when the defense started to play the way that we know we could have all year I mean towards the end of the year um I really I really want to say like we've been playing like really well and really like good together but I feel like when it got to like that Ohio State game I feel like everything just clicked it really clicked

for all of us as a team because we knew like how much that game meant to you know just not only us but also to like the program so we knew like coming to that game it was going to be a dope fight you know like they got all the weapons they got all the talent you know and we knew what we was going to get but one thing about us like we know we know we're just going to, like, just fold over and just not compete or battle just because who you have. Like I said, like, we got dogs all over the place. And then when it came to Alabama, you know, it was another, you know, oh, we don't have this, we don't have that.

And everybody doubted us again. And we just showed you, like, no matter, like, who we have or don't have this, we don't have that, and everybody doubted us again, and we just showed you, like, no matter, like, who we have or don't have, you know, we're just going to be dogs, just go out and compete. And from there, from them two games, you know, I felt like we clicked more as a team, and going into next year, I feel like that's going to help us, like, be motivated to compete with anybody,

especially going into our second week of the season. I love it. I love it. I love it. And we actually had Amir Hall on the show recently and asked him about when you guys are coming out into Columbus, into the shoe, and, you know, the video of you guys coming out is so hard, right? Like, it's good. But, I mean, when you guys are coming out to a sea of red

of 90,000 Ohio State fans, and they're all for blood, right? Like, they want you guys. coming out to see a red of 90,000 Ohio state fans and they're all for blood, right? Like they, they want you guys, they want you bad. That's been three years, right? Built up and they were like, this is our moment to finally, you know, show these guys, but you didn't flinch. Even after a year where it didn't go how you, you know, how you thought it was going to go, how you want it to go, but you guys didn't glitch.

What was your mindset going into that game? And give us a little bit of the feeling of just like walking out into that stadium. I'm going to say really before we walked out, I would say everything started with us going back into the tunnel where they kind of just like lined up on like their side of the sideline as we walking back into the tunnel where they kind of where they kind of just like lined up on like their side of the sideline as we walking back into the tunnel and they just kind of just like sitting right there staring at us talking trash and it was just like who do y'all think you are like like we're not scared of y'all anything like that and then it was just like when we got back

into the locker room you could just feel the energy like everybody was in that tent all the way into the coaches everybody's you'd have thought the game was already at halftime out of the way pre-game and when we came on to the tunnel it was just like it was no turning back from there you can hear the music you know music blasting and you look around you just with all your brothers you know like if we wasn't into enemy territory, it's just like, oh yeah, this is a good feeling. And one day I will say like they got a trash stadium, but I don't know, something about playing in that stadium and just like feeding up in that stadium,

it's just like, it just feels different. And, you know, like going out, it just felt like a great moment. It felt so great. And from the snap of the ball, we just knew we had them. Derek, you were on the team in 2022 when you guys went into columbus and i don't know it just feels like it kind of happens quite frequently nowadays but you were you were on the team and there was that famous mike saying we're still kind of sideline speech of like look at them look at how tight they are we know we've got this when did you feel that

in uh november's game because i'm sure there was a moment we were like yeah we got him uh definitely yeah it was the same moment you know um i remember uh ernest houseman um he he kind of gathered us all up and he was like i think i think this is after um offense to a pick on a goal line ernest gathered the whole defense up and and he was like, this is our moment right here. Like, we don't care about anything. We're not going to put this on the offense. We don't care that it was just an interception. We're going to go out here,

we're going to get the ball back for the offense. And right then and there, it was just like, you can like, I feel like at that moment, I looked into everybody's eyes, and it was just like, everybody was like, nobody wasn't worried. Nobody wasn't like pointing fingers. Nobody was like, oh, man, we was really like locked in together and committed to going back out there and getting the ball back for our offense.

And that's exactly what we did. And I remember when I got back to the sideline, I remember, I think it was Khalil. I think he was Khalil, man. I think he was like, man, we got y'all, man. We want to make sure we get this in the end zone. And, you know, they didn't get in the end zone. You know, one thing about Sabata, he going to get in there. He going to get in there. And then we went back out there again on that last final down.

And then, like, before Ohio State came out, we all huddled up. And we just said, man, this is our last one that we can make it. We're going to make it special. Don't let them get anything. And that's exactly what we did. And I remember the play before the last final play, cause Wayne called a timeout.

And he was like, he, he, he been telling us all season, like this, this moment we built for this moment uh this year gonna be different a lot of things and he just said like y'all prepared for this moment y'all was ready for this moment now go ahead and get a stop and let's he's like let's get out of this

trash stadium and exactly what we did man and after that had fun in the middle of the stadium so all right let's talk about that too. Obviously, it was a big news story. It turned into something leaked, like a law being passed and all that stuff. But, I mean, it's one of those things I feel like you guys are the first people to do that ever, right? Everybody does that. Baker Mayfield did it a while ago.

Texas did it on your field unfortunately after they won right but you know when all that was going down where where were you what was going on i mean what was did you get maced what happened oh is is that too concrete because everybody think i was the one who started it um I think I was trying to plant a flag and things like that. I wasn't even trying to plant a flag. It was too much to like the big situation, you know. First part, we was all standing in the middle of the O with the flag and things like that.

And, you know, we looked back. I think at one point in time, was i was somewhere on the side i was breaking the old crushing the old stopping myself and i looked back and i could see them kind of like just coming our way and i was just so like tired at the moment i'm telling them like come on come on come on and everything that's every day escalated again every day got broken up but every day broken up he was just like still talking and i was just like something to me i was just like my why they feel like they did so just now so i don't know i was walking i was walking back i was on i was actually on that way to like our

fan section like a fan and family section and i was just named one of my teammates uh toby running around with the flag. And for some reason, someone just told me, you can get the flag. And I ran over there and I grabbed the flag. And my first thought was to run around the entire field with the flag. Yeah.

But I looked down there, I was sitting in the sideline and I was like, oh, I can't go down there. It's too many young guys down there. So my first like thought was oh i'm gonna run to the middle of the field i get a bit over the field uh get i get pushed i get shoved um once i got pushed to shove i turn back around now i'm standing in the middle of the uh oh

next thing next i feel the coaches players take a flag on my hand, everybody grabbing me, and I'm like, I'm not even doing nothing. I'm just like, I'm just, I'm just. And it's a guy running around with a flag. Celebrating the Dome. I mean, obviously, you know, it's one of those things where, like, they're going to take it as disrespect, but the reality is they had, you know, they had a lot of time during that game to do something about it and they did um it's 60 minutes 60 total an hour that's an hour as i mean i'm not

a math guy but that is a full hour um but um yeah you know and then you know to to go to that point after the game it just turns into a whole bigger thing but um you know it's one of those things now it's four four in a row right it's it's one of those uh things where now they have to come back to uh ann arbor next year and you guys are reloading um you got bryce on the other side of the ball for you guys and a whole lot of new guys coming in on offense and even some new guys uh coming in on defense so i'm excited, man. And then I guess I don't want to make this whole thing about Ohio State, but we'll move on.

But one last question is, when you guys are watching, then after you just, you know, beat them, you held them to 10 points, and then they go on this run in the college football playoff, are you like, who is that team and where were they on November 24th or whatever the day was? And like, you know, what were the feelings with you and your teammates as you guys are watching them go on that CFP run? Well, you know,

a few games I was kind of like disappointed. I was planning on not losing a couple games, you know, but I watched a few of their games. I was like, oh, it's like a different team. And then at the same time, time it was like they really need to thank us we helped them like reconnect and rebuild as a team because after that like i don't i don't i don't really know what else to say like right yeah like we helped something clicked for them that like they you know which is just so funny to me because obviously you know you got to congratulate them on a national

championship right that's you know they they made a great run uh but you just kind of wonder i guess us as fans to say you're wondering why didn't that click on that saturday in columbus in november um and and all that but you guys are a little just too much to handle so um all right well moving on um so i'm excited for for 2025 you guys uh like i said you're reloading you know you lose uh those a lot of those guys in the middle and josiah you lose kg uh mason you know who were a huge part of not just that Ohio State game and the family, or not the family game, but that Ohio State game. But, you know, a huge piece for the last three years. You know, what's your mindset, whether it's you, TJ, you know, any of these new

guys that are coming up, Eno, Cam Brandt, like, are you guys ready for the next step where it's like, all right, next man up, this is our time? Yeah, like, we talk about it a lot in the locker room this year, you know. Like I said, like, even, like, going into the Alabama game, like, all of that stuff is, like, really, like, tiring of, like, hearing, like, oh, we don't have such and such players. Like, no matter what, like, we got dogs all across that D-line. And I felt very confident with the guys coming in and also the guys that was here before any new guys came in,

like Benny, Benny Bennett dog before I ever got here. Trey Pierce, he's a young guy. He played his tail off in Alabama game and throughout the entire season. And you also got guys like Ike who have been here forever and probably have a scene to fill this much. But he went out in the Alabama game, and he had his time to shine. He went out, and he played a hell of a game. Then you also got guys on the edge like TJ.

TJ, I really don't have too much to say about TJ. TJ, he finally got his moment, and he took it off for a good run last year. And I'm proud to see him start this year and finally get the opportunity that he really deserved. Cam Brandt, another young guy that's an older guy now. But I'm excited to see what he got going into this year as well with being able to get more opportunities on the field. Let me stop you right there, too, because what you just said, like,

is it weird that you're now the old guy, too? It's kind of weird. Like, I've been here and I've been seeing, especially just the Ezra, I've been, like, seeing, like, different, like, generations here. And I'm just like, man, it's about that time. I talk to Coach Chess a lot. I'm like, man, my back hurt, knees hurt. Into that time, man, he's just like,

man, yeah, you getting old. Everybody got training around, coach, weight around the other guys. They come to old here. I'm always complaining about something hurting. They come to old yeah so let me say i'm always complaining about something hurt so i'm coming

to oh yeah in a group so hey man don't don't feel too bad about it i had to drive an hour and 10 minutes one way yesterday and my right knee started locking up and i i had to stretch it out and i don't have the excuse to play college football or you know in the future the nfl so i think you're i think you're just fine for you know be a little sore um wanted to ask ask you, man, like, you know, kind of going – it's not going back to what we talked about earlier with Ohio State, but, like, what's more fun for you? Is it, you know, celebrating a sack in front of the big house, or is it quiet in a crowd on the road with a big sack on third down?

Like, what gets you more fired up? Oh, that's a tough one. I think I like being on the road more than I like being in the big house. I don't know why. It's just something special about a feeling, you know, going into a different, you know, environment and, you know, just being on a different team in that stadium and fighting that fast and taking all that momentum

and dashing on that field. And, you know, it's just a different feeling. Like, you really can't explain it. You just got to be there in the moment. And, you know, being in the big house is good and all, being in front of the fans and things like that. But if I had to pick, it definitely had to be on the road. I just enjoy it, especially just getting the experience

of, like, being in a different stadium and being in a different stadium, just seeing different things and just seeing, especially just getting the experience of, like, being in a different stadium and being in a different state and just seeing different things and just seeing, like, oh, you know, like, I don't know, just different crowds and environment and things like that, I would say. Well, real quick to piggyback off that, outside of Ohio State, I'm sure they're probably number one. What's the toughest place that you've played on the road? Penn State.

That's a good point. I forgot about Penn State. We didn't see Michigan-Penn State play last year. I kind of forgot about them. Yeah, that was probably the toughest game. I remember the offense went out there. I think first job, offense went out there. And I'm like, yo, I'm looking at Braden, Braden McGregor.

And I'm like, bro, it's loud in here. And Braden, he just took some pre-workout with you over there, screaming on the sidelines. I'm like, bro. I was like, yeah. But that was the biggest game. Probably the biggest

crowd stadium I've ever been in. I'd say the loudest stadium I've ever been in was when'd say the loudest stadium I've ever been in was when we played TCU. That was my freshman year. Yeah, Justin and I were there. I was in the TCU section, man. When Donovan breaks that run,

I start waving to the TCU fans, talking trash. Didn't end up too well for me, but that place was rocking, man. I still remember how fun you played and mikey uh i'll be talking to mikey about it um um it was one i forgot what it was a bliss that we had europe for them and i remember seeing a call on the sideline but we had a like a check call if they had gotten to a certain formation and i'm looking back and i'm looking at mikey i'm like mikey what's the call i'm like what we're doing? What we doing? Mikey talking.

I can't hear him. I'm talking back. He's like, what you saying? I'm like, bro, what I'm doing? He told me just go. And I went and I ran into him, and they kind of followed. We all got to the sideline.

Everybody did the wrong thing. One side was supposed to drop into coverage. The other side was supposed to blitz. Everybody ended up blitzing, and it was totally bad. But that was probably the loudest moment I ever probably had. I mean, I think that most fans, obviously, they know that the crowd affects games like that. But the reality is that it can be so difficult, right?

When you can't know – when you can't communicate with Mikey, who is the guy that's getting you the call, telling you what to do. That ruins pretty much everything for you, right? Yeah, but we prepare. We prepare for a lot. So, like, you know, Coach Maury got praise and, like, practice where we – he's playing music.

We got, like, some crazy loud speakers, and he's got them turned all the way up. And it's actually good for just communicating on both sides. You know, when the offense need to – when we out on a different environment and they got to deal with the loud crowd and we got the big house and we got to deal with the loud crowd. So it's just, you know, kind of already used to it. But I like what it's called, though. That makes things a lot easier.

So, okay, you mentioned Mikey, though. How turt were you when he had those picks in the playoff game? I mean, just watching, like, your guy making plays. I know it was against my Lions, Tanner's Lions, which was unfortunate, but still I was like, Mikey, not right now. You can make plays at any other time, but not right now. But for you guys, you know, how cool of a moment was that? It was a great moment, you know.

I was looking, hoping for them to win. So I was actually happy for them and proud of them. You know, I was just like, I was like, yeah for them to win. So I was actually happy for him and proud of him. You know, I was just like, I was like, yo, he going crazy. Like two interceptions, he balling out. But like I said, man, that always been my key. With him playing offense, defense, special teams, like he going to go out there and he's going to ball out, you know. And I was kind of like sick when he played the Ravens and he got a pick and I was talking to ball out, you know. And I was kind of, like, sick when he played the Ravens

and he got a pick, and I was talking to him before the game. I was like, bro, you better not get no pick this game. And he went out there and got a pick. So I was kind of like, you know, I went really fast. So, like, you know, mad about it. But, you know, I'm proud for him, happy for him, things like that, you know. And I feel like he deserves it as well. He broke his tail off a lot, and he studied the game a lot.

And you can tell when he go out on the field because it all shows. For sure. And so, you know, he's one of these guys, right? Mason is one of these guys, too. You were a four-star, you know, pretty highly talented recruit. But some of these guys, though, that are out here, and they didn't come in with, you know, highly uh time to recruit but some of these guys though that are out here and they don't they they didn't come in with you know a bunch of stars a bunch of you know accomplishments all that stuff but they're just balling and that's been kind of your guys michigan

mantra here for the past four years right where it's like we don't care who it is you know you you've said it amir said it a lot of guys have told me that's of like you know we've got some dogs you might not realize it but we've got some dogs just because they're not a big name do you guys love that i like identity that you know we're not flashy we don't do whatever it's just but we just get the job done yeah like i feel like i said i feel like that's kind of like culture here like we like yeah of course we want the big-time players, but, you know, we always don't get the big-time players. I feel like the coaches do a good job of going to try to go get the guys

who they see who feel like they got the most potential in. And, you know, they feel like when they get here, they just develop them really well. And also, like, when you get here in Michigan, you'll see it. Like, you'll see it, and you'll hear it a lot it's like you know it's not it's it's like it's like a development like piece of it like when you get here like of course everybody want to start at the freshman everybody want to play as a freshman but it's like almost you just got to waste your time until like you you know until your time to come and like you, you know, until your time comes.

And, like, for myself, you know, as a freshman, you know, I wanted to play a lot and things like that, and I was always getting frustrated. But at the same time, I had to look, and I got guys like Mike Morris, who was having a hell of a season, and I couldn't just take that away from him. You had guys like Ayabi with us who, you know, coming in, and he was doing good, and I was like, I can't take that from him. You had guys like Ayabi with us who, you know, coming in and he was doing good, and I was like, I can't

take that from him either. Sophomore year, you got guys like Braden and Jada and Jalen Harrow, who was out there killing it. And I was like, can't take that from them either. So I'm like, alright, third year is my time. And

you know, I felt like when I was going to go out there I was gonna get my name card and things like that but you know I feel like I ain't had a season that I wanted but you know going to uh my last and final season I feel like I'm just gonna throw it all into it and you know take a take all the opportunity I can and get out every day I want out of it. So. Do you see any guys that are, you know, maybe a, you know, first or second year in the program that you're like, man, if that guy figures it out, like the big time better watch.

I'm like, is there anybody, you know, that's younger than you that you're like, man, that guy's got all the potential in the world. Cause I know there's some athletic freaks on that, in that defensive end room that they've recruited over the last couple of years. So I'd love to know who you think is one of those guys that might break out here so um say a lot of got older now um that's a lot of that i don't know i'm not i'm just gonna say names um um let's go let's go uh mason curtis um you know, tall, long, fast,

and he landed the playbook really well. You got Brandon Hill. Does anybody hit harder than him? No, he probably out-hardest hitter on the team, literally. Every time he makes a tackle, I'm like waiting for a flag. But they're clean they're clean but that shit hurts from the couch when i'm watching it man it's crazy when you talk to him he'd be like man i just want to just put some line of body back that's that's really

like his mindset and you gotta respect it you know but But you got Jai here. He's going to be a dominant player. And it showed last year. You got Dominic Nichols. Like right now, everything pretty much clicker for him right now. And I feel like he's going to have a good year this year. Let's see who else we got Trey Pierce we talked about Trey

I feel like when everything really come when it's really his time everything will come for him for sure uh let's go to the offensive side I ain't got too much to say about Bryce I feel like Bryce

I feel likece gonna be like honestly he might be our best quarterback in a in a in michigan franchise and i'm gonna stick on that um i like that have you what have you seen from him so far i know it's only been you know a little bit but i mean i know that a couple guys have told me, like, he's all the size, the arm, all of it. Like, it's as advertised. Is that right? Yeah.

When we was down in Florida for the Alabama Bowl, he just looked good out there. He looked like he had already been in the program. You know, he looked like one of us. He looked like he'd been in college. Like, he don't look like a normal freshman like just came from my high school he looked like well up to size and he just like he was ready and now like he and my workout group actually so like we actually like same group like same little small group and i'm sitting right there and i'm i watch

him every day just like work hard and he he listened you know and he loves his all the feedback that he gets from the players and the coaches and you can also see him out there again actually working with all his receivers so so like it's gonna be a good good thing for him the next couple years also this year as well how are the the transfers you know obviously freshmen coming in but the transfers too, like how are they kind of buying into the program and the culture and everything that has been built since, you know, you've been here and before you were here over the last, you know, number of years?

I feel like all of them, all the guys, they pretty much buying in real well. Nobody ain't come in thinking that he was better than anyone or thinking that, oh, I feel like, oh, like, y'all guys don't have this. This is why I'm here. Right now everybody pretty much buying into the standard here in Michigan. And, you know, I think everybody's just ready to play. You know, right now I can't really say too much about it, but, like, we've only been together for, like, a couple weeks.

But, like, so far what I've seen, I feel like everybody's pretty much buying in and, you know, connecting with the team. like a couple weeks but like so far what i've seen i feel like everybody's pretty much buying in and you know connecting with the team and everybody who's been here is breaking them apart of the team and they just not just like letting them just like spread out and just be on their own like we all you know building together i love that um so you're you're a part of a trio of Moors, right? You got Derek Moore, Rod Moore, Coach Moore. Freddie. Freddie. Oh, sorry.

There's four. Four more? Are there more Moors? No, that's it. That's it? So, you know, you guys, you should start a podcast. I feel like the Moors. It's good starting.

That would be a good idea. That would be podcast. I feel like the more it's good. I will be good. I did. I will be cool. We don't need a competition, man. That would be kind of crazy, though. But, you know, I'm a big bro out of all of them. So you break. Are you big bro to coach more, too?

Yeah. I mean, he is what's cool about coach war from what i have uh have gathered is he is a big brother to you to a lot of you guys you know i don't know if he's even made it to unc status because he's still pretty young um but uh it definitely gives off that vibe which is kind of funny because coach harbaugh was he was you great, but it was just a very different vibe. And then you bring in Coach Moore, who, you know, is that older brother. What does Coach Moore bring to the table for you guys, just in terms of that culture and atmosphere? You know, he bring it a lot. You know, it's just like everybody here got a good connection with Coach Moore.

You know, he's a good guy. He's not hard to talk to at all. And he's willing to hear what everybody got to say. You know, something that he may have he had put out there or somebody else put out there and we don't feel comfortable about it. We can all go to him and, you know, talk to him as a team and things like that. And, you know, he's just, like, also he's young, so, like, he knows, like, how all of us, like, you know, move around and think also.

So it's like he got nicknames for the older guys and the young guys. He call the young guys Wyans, and then he look at us and he call us old lions. So it's kind of funny, though. But, you know, so, like, right now he's building it. He's trying to rebuild the standard, like I said. And right now we got, you know, a little – a standard right now, team over me. So putting the team before you before yourself and

you know we kind of you probably can see it right now on the internet and things like that but he also wants to like you know before we step in this building or when you step in this building think of the team like what you're doing today for the team are you going hard in the workout for the team are you taking care of your body for the team? Yes, it's for you, but you also got to think whatever you're doing best for yourself, you're doing for the team. So he always, he said that a lot. Whatever you do, think about the team. So he tells us that a lot.

So before you come in the building, before you wake up, you know, of course, thank God and think about your family. But before you step into the building, think about the team. I love it. And then what about the other two more? So you've got Freddie, who's kind of the up-and-coming guy, right? He had, you know, even a little breakout in that Bama game. He obviously got some run this year.

And then you bring him back, Rod, who, you know, was instrumental in 2023, obviously, you know, was hurt all of 2024. What are those guys, those two guys bringing to the table for 2025? You know, for Rod, you know, really just leadership, you know. He's a guy who knows the standard. He's been here before I've been here. He knows the standard. He knows his defense before I've been here. He knows the standard. He knows his defense.

He knows the team. He knows everything. And, you know, just having him in the room with all of us, it kind of just brings me the joy because it's like, all right, Rod going to speak up. He going to talk. He going to check somebody when he not doing something right. And that's something that we need.

You know, a lot of us don't talk as much, but Rod going to be the person that's going to talk. Rod's going to be the person that's going to talk. He's going to be the person that's going to check somebody. And when it comes to time for us to play on the field, Rod's going to go out there and make a play for the team. So it kind of just brings me joy of just having him, you know, behind me and also on the same route with me. And Fred, you know, Fred just I'm just ready to see what

you got to uh you know going to this uh this season you know we joke about it a lot but I tell him like every time he messes I'll be like that was yours Fred you know that's that's his goal and like anytime he he joke around he played around I always remind him I'll be like that was yours Fred Lockett that was yours and like. Lock it. That was yours. And, like, you know, at certain points, we'd be having, like, little competitions in the weight room. And I'd be like, man, you got thousands of yards, man. If you don't beat this, you're selling it for, like, 300 yards, two touchdowns, and you force a quarterback to throw interceptions.

So that's – that's a really – a lot of really idiots, man. There you go. I like it. I like it. I like it. Yeah, I mean, we're obviously really excited about 2025. I think it's time. You know, obviously, you know, you win the Ohio State game, you win the Alabama game, and it kind of gives a different feeling going into this offseason, right?

We've talked about that a lot of just how that turned around. You know, Bryce coming into town that obviously makes you know people excited but ultimately you know what from from you yourself and from as a leader of this team now what can people expect from Michigan in 2025 whether you know I'm not telling you you know you you don't have to guarantee a national championship or whatever else. But right. But like just from what are what are we going to when we're watching Michigan football? What are we going to see?

These are going to see like really just like, you know, a well-connected team, you know, a team that's going to go out there and dominate on both sides of the ball and really win every game, you know, win the big games, get back to the Big Ten Championship, win that, go to the playoffs, win that, you know, win another national championship. So, you know, it's not really much I can really talk about it, but, you know, we got to go on the field and just show. So that's all I can really say. You want to see a well and better connected team, a team that's together,

and everybody going out there and playing for each other. Derek, I've got kind of an off-topic question here, but I got to know. It's a two-part question, and it may be the same answer. Who's the best trash talker you play with or have played with at Michigan, and who's the funniest trash talker that you've played with? Money's the best trash talker you play with or have played with at Michigan, and who's the funniest trash talker that you've played with? Money, the best trash talker.

Oh, at Michigan. That's kind of crazy. There's got to be somebody that can get under your skin, right? At Michigan? Yeah. Do you guys talk shit to each other when you're – We talk – no, we talk a lot of shit to the offense. Offense, they don't talk it, but probably don't know.

Got to be Donovan. I always talk – it's crazy because I talk shit to Donovan, and he – you know, you always got to see something back. And then it's like once I finally drop into coverage and I see him going out to the flag or anything like that, I'd be like, yeah, bro, you ain't going to get the ball. I would burn you up or something like that. You go on and talk, and I'd be like, man, stop talking.

If I tackle you in practice, you'd be like, man, and I touch him and he won't get kicked out. I'd say, okay, I'll probably tackle him and see what happens. I out, I said, okay. I'll probably tackle him and see what happens. I mean, I know Donald's definitely got the biggest – I would say one of the biggest personalities just in general. I know if I'm right about this, Orge does too though. I know he's –

I forgot about Orge. It's actually crazy because, you know, Orge, you know, he run the ball a lot. So, in our defense, you know, we got to watch the quarterback a lot. He do a lot of QB reads. And I'll be more sticking with him of, like, to make him, like, let the ball go. And, like, mid-play, he be like, D-more, bro, move. Like, just let me just keep the ball like you're cheating the play. And I'd be like, bro, I'm not cheating the play.

You're not about to rip Al-Bremji. He outran me one time. I ain't going to never let that happen again because he was talking trash for a whole entire week. So. I like it. I mean, is there somebody now on this 2025 team that's got a big personality?

Any of those? I feel like Jair actually does have a pretty big personality too. Man, he got crazy. That's Chris Stout. Here's something different. I don't know. I can't. It's different.

He's going to talk something crazy. You got Samaj. I forgot about Samaj. Oh, Sam't. It's different. He just want to talk something crazy. You got Samaj. I forgot about Samaj. Oh, Samaj, that's right. Man, Samaj, to the DBs, Samaj probably the craziest chance talking to the DBs. Samaj is going to say whatever you want to say. Nobody ain't going to stop him.

He just want to say whatever is on his head, he's going to say it. I feel like he's one of those guys too, like he could get locked down, he's still talking trash. So hopefully, he gonna talk regardless. Like, he gonna fight you, he gonna talk. He ain't gonna let it go. He gonna, next day, talk more trash, whatever. Man, he just gonna talk.

I remember one time I had to, like, drop into, like, coverage, and I had seen him, you know, swat the ball down or whatever. And I was like, yeah, bro, all that locked up. He's like, man, shut up, man. Give me a one-on-one. Give me a one-on-one. I'm like, bro, I'm not about to stick you in a one-on-one. It's like a lot of back and forth from that.

You'd be mad at me for saying this, too, but it's funny because he's at me for saying this too but it's funny because he's such a little dude too like you know compared to especially compared to you right like oh but it's you know he's gotta he's gotta act a little bit bigger i mean honestly though like i feel like every single receiver and defensive back in the history of mankind has had some level of delusional confidence, you know, just like the same way a corner will get beat the balls of her throne and they'll still like sheath the sword. And it's like, all right, man, you know,

come on. Yes, it is. It is what it is, but Hey man, well, thank you so much for joining. This was a fantastic. We're so excited to watch you play here in 2025. And, and you know, I just think that it was huge for you and TJ and some of these other guys, Ron, you know, some of these other guys to be the pinnacle of this, not only just the defense, but the team that's coming back.

Because, you know, the thing is that the reality of why, you know, why you guys were so successful from 21 to 23 is because and obviously you still had success in 24 but was because of you know the culture the guys that you know the leadership um the guys that set the example uh and it didn't come from coach harbaugh at all times you know it came as a player-led program and i am very excited to hear that you know chiron is is keeping that going and for you to be a part of it now yeah all right man um well uh so tell everybody where they can follow you for your socials uh you can follow me on instagram uh and twitter um big ad more um pretty much the same.

Try to keep it nice and simple for everybody. So if you want to find me, Big A D Moore, Instagram and Twitter, that's all up early beyond. But, you know, I appreciate y'all guys having me. And I'm ready to show y'all what Michigan

got in store this year. We're excited, man. We think about Michigan football like every – I mean, we're eight months away, so we're thinking about Michigan football every waking moment. Like, hey, can we tailgate? Can we go to the games? You know, is it September yet? So we're excited to watch you play, man,

and know that you're going to be doing some great things in the big house. We're very excited. Appreciate it. All right. For us, you can follow us at blue by 90 on twitter instagram facebook at blue by 90 podcast on youtube and blue by 90.com we appreciate you go blue go blue