Preseason Honors: Sprague, Underwood Named to Shaun Alexander Award Watch List
7/1/2025 12:00:00 PM | Football
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan offensive lineman Andrew Sprague and quarterback Bryce Underwood were named to the Shaun Alexander Award watch list on Tuesday (Aug. 26). The award is presented annually to the best freshman player in college football.
Michigan's preseason award honorees (as of Aug. 26):
Andrew Sprague, Sophomore, Offensive Line
• Aug. 26: Shaun Alexander Award Watch List
• Four games played as a true freshman
• A one-year letter winner who made one start at right tackle in 2024
• Appeared in two Big Ten games, earning snaps at Indiana and against Northwestern
• Made his first career start against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl
• Helped pave the way for Jordan Marshall's 100-yard rushing performance against the Crimson Tide
Bryce Underwood, Freshman, Quarterback
• Aug. 26: Shaun Alexander Award Watch List
• True freshman preparing for his collegiate debut this fall
• Four-year starter at local Belleville High School with a career record of 50-4
• Engineered a 38-game winning streak from mid-freshman season to state title game of junior season
• Helped the team reach three straight Division I MHSAA State Championships from 2021-23, with back-to-back titles in 2021-22
• Amassed 12,919 career all-purpose yards in high school; 11,488 passing yards and 179 total touchdowns, including 27 rushing scores
Rod Moore, Senior, Defensive Back
• Aug. 19: College Football Comeback Player of the Year Watch List
• 37 career games played at safety with 28 starts
Credited with 141 career tackles, including 2.5 for loss with a half- sack
• 13 career pass breakups with six interceptions, including game-sealing pick against Ohio State in 2023
• Two-time All-Big Ten selection in 2022 (honorable mention) and 2023 (third team)
• Team's 2021 Special Teams Rookie of the Year and Defensive Co-Rookie of the Year
• Voted top 12 in ESPN's Ranking of the Best College Defensive Backs in 2025
Derrick Moore, Senior, Edge
• Aug. 11: Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
• May 28: Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
• 41 career games played at edge rusher with 12 starts
• Made 65 career tackles, including 14 for loss with 11 sacks; four sacks in 2024 were third most among U-M defenders
• Also broke up five career passes with one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries
• Returned a fumble recovered at Maryland for a touchdown in 2023
• Two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection
Jaishawn Barham, Junior, Linebacker
• Aug. 11: Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
• July 30: Butkus Award Watch List
• 36 career games played with 36 starts at linebacker, including 13 games and starts at Michigan
• Made 66 tackles in 2024 with five-plus tackles in nine games
• Credited with 3.5 tackles for loss last fall, including one sack and two pass breakups
• Two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection
• Began career at Maryland; Freshman All-American in 2022
• 2022 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalist
Marlin Klein, Senior, Tight End
• Aug. 8: John Mackey Award Watch List
• 25 career games played, including 22 at tight end, with six starts
• Caught 13 passes for 108 yards in 2024; one reception as a sophomore in 2023
• Career-high three catches twice, including at Ohio State last fall
• Team's 2024 Most Improved Player on Offense
• Native of Germany who moved to the U.S. before his junior year of high school
Dominic Zvada, Senior, Kicker
• Aug 2: Sporting News Preseason All-America Team
• Aug 1: Lou Groza Watch List
• July 1: Walter Camp Preseason All-America First Team
• 38 career games played as a placekicker, including 13 at Michigan
• Set U-M's single-season record for field-goal percentage at 95.5 percent (21-of-22)
• Went 7-for-7 from 50-plus yards for the Wolverines in 2024, another program record
• 2024 first-team All-American and unanimous All-Big Ten selection
• 2024 Bakken-Andersen Big Ten Kicker of the Year
• Two-time Lou Groza Award Semifinalist in 2022, 2024
Justice Haynes, Junior, Running Back
• Aug. 5: Doak Walker Award Watch List
• July 28: Maxwell Award Watch List
• 25 career games played at Alabama, including 18 at running back, with six starts
• Rushed 105 times for 616 yards with nine touchdowns in 2024
• Also caught 17 passes totaling 99 yards with one special teams tackle
• Began career at Alabama; helped the Crimson Tide make the 2023 College Football Playoff
• In 2024, posted 102 rushing yards and a touchdown against Western Kentucky; 79 yards rushing against Missouri
Jordan Marshall, Sophomore, Running Back
• Aug. 5: Doak Walker Award Watch List
• Five career games played at running back with one start
• Also experienced as a kick returner, with nine attempts in 2024
• Rushed 31 times for 120 yards as a freshman, including 100 yards in his first collegiate start, the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama
• Athletic Department's Male Newcomer of the Year (2024)
• 2022 Mr. Ohio Football; 2023 Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year
Greg Tarr, Graduate Student, Long Snapper
• Aug. 4: Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List
• 14 career games played at long snapper with nine starts
• Made his U-M debut as a junior in 2022, appearing in 10 games with nine starting assignments
• Twice named the team's Special Teams Co-Player of the Week for his performances against Michigan State and Illinois
• Postseason experience, with snaps in one Big Ten Championship game and two bowl games
Ernest Hausmann, Senior, Linebacker
• July 30: Butkus Award Watch List
• 40 career games played at linebacker, including 28 at Michigan with 20 career starts (13 at U-M)
• Credited with 135 tackles as a Wolverine; career-high 89 in 2024 with seven for loss, two sacks and two pass breakups, including his first career interception
• Helped lead U-M to No. 10 rank in total defense (307 yards per game allowed) in 2024
• Team's 2024 Blue Collar Award and Roger Zatkoff Award winner
• Began career at Nebraska; 54 tackles across seven starts as a Cornhusker
• The fifth true freshman linebacker to start for Nebraska in the last 30 years
Giovanni El-Hadi, Senior, Offensive Line
• July 29: Outland Trophy Watch List
• 43 career games played, including 31 along the offensive line with 16 starts
• Starting experience at both left and right guard, with 13 starts on the right side in 2024
• Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honoree
• Team's co-recipient of the Dierdorf-Hutchinson Award
