Moore, Guarnera steadying Michigan in face of turmoil

Moore, Guarnera steadying Michigan in face of turmoil Lune Mathis/DAILY. Buy this photo. It’s easy to stay positive during success, but hardship reveals everyone’s true character.  Between a 3-2 record that includes an ugly loss to Minnesota, disparaging comments via Instagram that were leaked to the public and the inherent upheaval of a mostly first-year coaching staff, this season has been ripe with turmoil, all before the season’s midway point. Still, the veterans on the roster have made a point of leading by example. You can’t talk about leadership on the Wolverines without talking about graduate safety Rod Moore. Moore was a dynamic playmaker in his first year and even started in the College Football Playoff as a true freshman. Five years and several lower-body injuries later, Moore is the oldest player on the roster and the captain of the defense.  “Rod, to me, is the ultimate leader,” safeties coach Tyler Stockton said Sept. 9. “I don’t know how many three-time captains there have been at Michigan, maybe one more but probably not.” Moore wears the coach-to-player green dot on his helmet, one of the few safeties in the country to call plays on defense. With this responsibility comes the expectations that Moore is the primary communicator on defense, as well as the emotional leader. Beyond his 22 tackles on the field, Moore’s leadership style is evident everywhere.  After senior cornerback Zeke Berry committed a personal foul against Iowa — essentially extending its drive and giving the Hawkeyes the chance to win the game — Moore was self-critical before anything else.  “There were three opportunities where we could’ve got off the field,” Moore said Sept. 26. “For myself, I should’ve caught one.” Berry later said that it took a few days for him to get over his costly mistake against Iowa. Berry, himself, is a senior and leader on the team. Moore knew drawing more attention to Berry’s mistake wouldn’t be productive. Berry knows he made a mistake. So by absorbing the criticism, Moore was able to mitigate the negativity associated with the situation.  By and large, the Wolverines’ elite defense has done a lot of heavy lifting compared to the offense. But when asked about it in press conferences, the entirety of the defense has never pointed fingers or blamed the offense, only reaffirming the need to make plays on the defensive side of the ball. It’s what they’re supposed to say, but still, the unity within Michigan’s upper ranks is a bright spot among a season with plenty of dim ones. On the other side of the ball, the leader of the offensive line is undoubtedly junior center Jake Guarnera. Before the season started, the coaching staff was hesitant to name starters — except for Guarnera. This is a testament to his talent, but also the trust that he’s earned among his coaches and fellow linemen.  Guarnera’s leadership was on full display Tuesday when talking about junior tackle Andrew Sprague. After missing the games against the Hawkeyes and Golden Gophers, rumors began swirling online about Sprague’s health — and were extrapolated to his commitment to the team. The Wolverines haven’t confirmed what Sprague is dealing with, but Guarnera got emotional when asked about it.  “He’s really upset that he can’t be with the team,” Guarnera said Tuesday of Sprague. “I see this stuff online saying all kinds of things. He’s got stuff going on, and he can explain it if he wants to, but he’s still with the team. He’s still doing great and helping us out.” Just like Moore, Guarnera said exactly what he was supposed to. It’s telling that even when put in tough situations, the Wolverines’ leadership reacted accordingly. While they can’t control everything that happens on the field, they can control their words — and by extension, the narrative.  Michigan has made plenty of mistakes on the field through its first five games. But with its leadership setting an example, it has prevented internal turmoil and an underperforming roster from snowballing into something out of its control. Related articles