12/11/25 03:32:00
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12/11 15:31 CST Sherrone Moore's firing leaves Michigan and its troubled
football program scrambling to find a coach
Sherrone Moore's firing leaves Michigan and its troubled football program
scrambling to find a coach
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) --- Michigan has quite a mess on its hands.
The storied football program is yet again reeling from scandal, this time with
once-promising coach Sherrone Moore at the center of it.
Moore spent Wednesday night in jail after being fired earlier in the day for
what the school said was an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. His
ensuing arrest was related to an assault investigation, for which Moore is
scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.
The development has left college football's winningest school suddenly
searching for a new coach --- again.
"I'm so disappointed," former Michigan defensive end Larry Stevens told The
Associated Press on Thursday. "This prestigious university and everything we've
done through the years for Michigan, you just don't jeopardize that. I can't
wrap my head around this."
A snapshot of recent history might show great success for the program that has
bested its archrival, Ohio State, and declares itself the "The Victors," a
fitting moniker for the 2023 season's national champions. Underneath those
feats, however, there's been multiple scandals the school will have to contend
with as it courts its next coach.
"Everybody who knew has to go because how many times do we want to be on
SportsCenter for scandals?" Stevens, who played for coach Lloyd Carr from
2000-2003, asked in a telephone interview. "What we built, who we are, our
legacy, how we're viewed in the world, that matters to Michigan men. These
activities turn us into the laughingstock of college football."
The NCAA put Michigan's football program on probation less than four months
ago, stemming from a sign-stealing scandal, and Manuel has said penalties will
cost the department more than $30 million.
Matt Weiss, who previously shared offensive coordinator duties with Moore at
Michigan, was charged with hacking into the computer accounts of thousands of
college athletes to find intimate images. A judge entered a not-guilty plea for
the former Baltimore Ravens and Michigan assistant coach earlier this year.
And now, the Wolverines are scrambling to find a new leader for their shaken
football team while navigating the fallout from firing Moore.
Michigan will be looking for a third coach in four years, shortly after a busy
cycle that included Lane Kiffin leaving playoff-bound Mississippi for LSU.
Moore led the 18th-ranked Wolverines to a 9-3 record this year after going 8-5
in his debut season.
The 39-year-old Moore, who is married with three young daughters, did not
return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment before he was taken
into custody.
"I'm sad for all the families involved," former Michigan athletic director Bill
Martin said in a telephone interview.
Without a coach in place for next season, the team may lose players in the
transfer portal this winter and donors who help fund revenue-sharing and NIL
deals may hesitate to invest in the once-proud program.
While former coach Jim Harbaugh, who was penalized by the NCAA for rules
violations, did lead the Wolverines to that 2023 national championship ---
their first since 1997 --- they are not far removed from some lackluster years.
Harbaugh started 0-5 against Ohio State as coach of the school he once led as a
quarterback. The program crumbled following Carr's retirement in 2007 under
Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke before Harbaugh eventually turned it around.
Michigan has to pick up the pieces again and search for a coach --- while the
school is also looking for a new president --- as it attempts to bounce back
from its latest scandal.
___
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