Sherrone Moore’s time at Michigan is instantly over.
The Wolverines fired their head soccer coach Wednesday afternoon. The faculty fired Moore for trigger attributable to an investigation of Moore, saying Wednesday the coach “engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.” Further specifics of that relationship, or when the investigation really began, are unknown.
“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel stated in an announcement. “Following a university investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
“This conduct constitutes a transparent violation of college coverage, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such habits.”
Moore, according to ESPN’s Dan Wetzel, was then detained by police in Saline, Michigan — which sits simply south of Ann Arbor — on Wednesday night time. He was turned over to police in Pittsfield Township for an investigation into potential expenses.
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According to The Detroit News’ Tony Paul, there was an incident Wednesday “that required police consideration.” It’s unclear what that incident was, or what charges Moore may be facing should he officially be arrested. He was still in police custody as of 8:30 p.m. ET.
Sherrone Moore has been fired for cause after two seasons leading the Wolverines. (AP/Ryan Sun)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Michigan named affiliate head coach Biff Poggi because the group’s interim coach. Poggi, a former head coach at Charlotte, additionally served as the team’s interim head coach earlier this season whereas Moore served a two-game suspension in the wake of its sign-stealing scandal.
Moore, 39, was first hired at Michigan ahead of the 2018 season as the team’s tight ends coach. He was the Wolverines’ offensive coordinator during their undefeated national championship run through the 2023 season, and he was promoted to replace Jim Harbaugh when Harbaugh left to become head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. That made Moore the first Black full-time head coach in Michigan history.
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Moore finished 18-8 leading the Wolverines. They went 8-5 during his first season at the helm, and just finished a 9-3 run this past season. He won his first two games against Ohio State in their rivalry matchup, too, including one in 2023 when he was serving as the interim head coach while Harbaugh was suspended. Ohio State beat Michigan 27-9 last month. Michigan is set to take on Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl later this month, too.
Moore had three years left on his initial five-year deal with Michigan. According to USA Today, Michigan paid Moore about $6.1 million for the 2025 season. His buyout earlier this month was just shy of $14 million. But since the school has fired him for cause, the Wolverines will avoid having to pay Moore’s buyout altogether.
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Michigan will start searching for a full-time replacement for Moore immediately, though the search will come on the heels of what was a very chaotic coaching cycle throughout college football. The Wolverines are now the only Big Ten school without a head coach after Penn State employed Matt Campbell, Michigan State hired Pat Fitzgerald and UCLA hired Bob Chesney earlier this month.