Posted on 12/10/2025 5:28:08 PM PST by nickcarraway
The Wolverines will undergo their second coaching change in three years, releasing Moore after eight years with the organization, including two as head coach
Michigan fired coach Sherrone Moore for cause at the conclusion of his second season leading the Wolverines football program. Athletic director Warde Manuel said Wednesday the termination was the result of an inappropriate relationship between Moore and a staff member.
"Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately," Manuel said in a statement. "Following a university investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and UM maintains zero tolerance for such behavior."
Moore was detained by police in Saline, Mich., three hours after his firing. Saline police turned Moore over to police in Pittsfield Township for investigation into potential charges, ESPN reported.
Associate head coach Biff Poggi has been appointed interim coach, effective immediately. Moore had a buyout of around $14 million, but because he was fired for cause, Michigan may be off the hook for nearly all of it.
After becoming aware of the allegations against Moore, prominent Michigan donors cooled on contributing to the program, sources told CBS Sports.
"This is a sad day to see it come to this," a Michigan football booster told CBS Sports. "I feel horrible for all the players, coaches and families are going to be disrupted. And I don't know what becomes of Sherrone."
In recent days as word had begun to spread across college football that Michigan was investigating Moore, Michigan staffers had grown worried about their future. Manuel indicated to team staffers that at least part of the Moore investigation, which had become far from a secret internally, had been going on since mid-November, sources said.
Michigan finished 8-5 in Moore's debut season in 2024 and improved to 9-3 this year with the Wolverines remaining in the College Football Playoff discussion until the final week of the regular season. The team's CFP hopes faded with a 27-9 home loss to rival Ohio State, ending a four-game winning streak for the Wolverines in the series.
Michigan is slated to play Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31 but a football game will be about the only normal thing on the docket for the remainder of the offseason, which will include a coaching search, a staff overhaul, a roster rest and, culturally, a break from the Jim Harbaugh era.
"As an AD, I go back to the personnel and the players," a Power Four athletics director told CBS Sports, when asked what the immediate aftermath for Michigan would look like. "They need to be heard and they need guidance. You go in and talk to them, inform them of the situation and what's next and reaffirm your commitment to doing what's best for them. You always have to do that."
Sherrone Moore firing a full-circle moment for Michigan
Moore ascended to the helm of the Michigan football program in 2024 after serving as offensive coordinator under former coach Jim Harbaugh. Scandals precipitated Moore's elevation to the head-coaching role, and another brought his tenure to an end.
He served as head coach in four games during the 2023 season while Harbaugh was suspended for recruiting violations and then the program's sign-stealing saga; the Wolverines went 4-0, though Moore was only credited with one victory on his resume. Moore won an early-season game against Bowling Green and guided the Wolverines to three consecutive triumphs to close the regular season, including a rivalry win over Ohio State to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff. From there, the Wolverines went on to win the national championship -- their first since 1997.
Sherrone Moore buyout: What's left on the Michigan coach's contract after he was fired 'for cause' Playing a key role in the national championship run set Moore up to secure the full-time job once Harbaugh departed for the NFL at the end of the campaign. Harbaugh's exit came late in the coaching carousel cycle, and promoting from within allowed Michigan to maintain as much continuity as possible while also rewarding Moore for his efforts as an assistant. Moore had been on the staff in Ann Arbor since 2018, working his way up from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator.
Moore served a two-game suspension of his own this year for his involvement in the sign-stealing scandal.
Michigan failed to reach College Football Playoff under Moore
On the heels of a national championship, Michigan took an expected step back under Moore. The Wolverines went just 8-5 in 2024, posting their worst record since 2017 while struggling mightily on offense after losing quarterback J.J. McCarthy, running back Blake Corum and several others to the NFL. The Wolverines ranked just 113th in the FBS in scoring at 22.0 points per game with former walk-on Davis Warren taking the majority of the snaps at quarterback. An elite defense stacked with NFL talent kept the team afloat, though, and prevented the bottom from falling out after the coaching turnover.
Although Moore's first year underwhelmed, it closed on a high note with wins over eventual national champion Ohio State in a stunning upset and Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. A massive in-state recruiting victory -- the flip of No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood from LSU (at a rumored cost of $10 million) -- further brightened the Wolverines' outlook for 2025 and beyond.
That strong finish to 2024 and the addition of Moore brought added expectations for Michigan entering the 2025 season. An early loss at Oklahoma in which Underwood struggled mightily raised some doubts, and the Wolverines later fell to 4-2 with an ugly loss at USC. Five straight victories followed, and Michigan's CFP hopes were still alive entering the season finale against No. 1 Ohio State. The Wolverines started the game off with an early 6-0 lead but ultimately could not hold off the Buckeyes in a 27-9 loss -- a game that ended the Wolverines' national championship hopes and ultimately proved to be Moore's last as Michigan's coach.
What's next for Michigan? The timing of Moore's exit puts Michigan behind the curve in what has been a historically hectic coaching carousel cycle. Most of the top candidates across the sport have already accepted offers, but Michigan is one of the most high-profile jobs in the sport and should attract some big names.
"They've missed out on a bunch [of top coaches] at this point," a coaching agent told CBS Sports. "[But] they have to have an idea of who they can get at the very least if they made this move right now."
Manuel will need to move quickly in his coaching search with the 2026 transfer portal window opening Jan. 2. In order to prevent an exodus of key players and to attract talent into the program, it would behoove Michigan to have a staff in place ahead of the free agency period. Finding a coach who can retain Underwood, for one, will be of the utmost importance.
Michigan coaching candidates: Kalen DeBoer, Marcus Freeman among options after sudden Sherrone Moore firing Robby Kalland Michigan coaching candidates: Kalen DeBoer, Marcus Freeman among options after sudden Sherrone Moore firing Michigan was already planning on adding a QBs coach to work with Moore and the rest of the room, so there's a double bonus to be had should the school instead hire an offensive-minded head coach. Until then, as 247Sports' Allen Trieu writes, Michigan will have to "protect" itself from portal poachers.
As one of the biggest brands in college athletics, Michigan has the ability to swing for the fences. A home-run hire could re-establish the Wolverines as perennial title contenders almost instantly. Sitting head coaches at other Power Four programs figure to be in play for the Michigan job. Eyes will be on Alabama's Kalen DeBoer, who faces pressure from the Crimson Tide fanbase and has ties to the region as a longtime assistant coach in the Midwest.
Recently fired LSU coach Brian Kelly could also be an option for a program that has underwhelmed in the two years since its national championship.
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he also just got arrested an hour ago. Bro having a bad day.
Usually I'll post and link to a comment on X. But as of this moment, I'll wait until confirmation.
It's like the Michigan State coach. He lost a life-changing contract. He allegedly sexually harassed a woman who was invited to talk to the players about sexual harassment. Which is crazy on so many levels.
My Sherrone does not possess The Knack to be a head coach
.
“ he also just got arrested an hour ago. Bro having a bad day.”
She was a freshmen.
“What about the whole Christmas spirit thing, any flexibility there? - George Costanza
He should be on the phone with Bobby Petrino, who was able to get his career back, but probably not at the level it could have been without the scandal.
If a subordinate to a head coach knows the head coach is Fing a staff member, the have a duty to tell the Athletic Director.
What is inappropriate?
I figured it had to be a student, or he wouldn’t have been arrested.
A freshman who was a staffer? Freshman are usually of age. Why the arrest?
I was told Jim Harbaugh only hired people of high moral integrity.
“Michigan fired coach Sherrone Moore...”
No doubt that she’s surrounded by big, masculine, hunks, but she STILL has to play by the rules.
Ever heard of Mike McQueary?
What kind of rumors?
Just whisper it in our ears.
He may have been harassing her and forcing her to sexually comply under the threat of losing her job. She may have cried “rape”.
He has to be not very thoughtful.. These coaches must have no confidence in their ability to be attractive to women. I get it, but get someone outside of your job environment ...unless there is true love....it is possible...but unlikely ..
So, you are saying it’s her fault? I don’t know how anyone could come to any conclusion with the info released.
How can we make a judgement yet?
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