The Michigan football program finds itself knee deep in off-season problems again. Head coach Sherrone Moore was detained by police in Saline, Michigan, on Wednesday night before being sent over to Pittsfield Township for further investigation. As of publication, he remains in custody at Washtenaw County Jail. This came just hours after Moore was fired by the Michigan athletic department for personal indiscretions with a staff member.
Sherrone Moore Fired; Michigan in Off-Season Weeds Again
First the Firing
The day started badly enough for all concerned when Michigan announced it had fired Moore for cause. The school issued a statement that Moore had been “terminated, with cause, effective immediately” after Michigan began looking into him. The school went on to announce that former Michigan assistant Biff Poggi would take over the program on an interim basis.
Michigan reportedly received an anonymous tip about the relationship and began an investigation. In its statement, the school went on to say, “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 U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”
Then the Arrest
Moore’s arrest happened about two hours later. Neither the authorities in Saline nor Pittsfield Township have provided any details as to their investigation into events on Wednesday night that led to the arrest.
Moore’s Troubled Time in Ann Arbor
As an assistant coach under Jim Harbaugh, Moore has already been front and center in the chaos of NCAA investigations in the football program, the coaching staff, and Connor Stalions.
Moore was the acting head coach for the final three regular-season games of the 2023 season when Harbaugh was suspended for his role in the Stalions-related sign-stealing scandal that rocked college football that year. Michigan went 3-0 during that time, including a win over Ohio State.
Harbaugh moved on to the NFL amidst further NCAA investigations. Moore was named the full-time coach for the 2024 season. The Wolverines went 8-5 with a win over Ohio State and a win in the Reliaquest Bowl.
But the off-season provided no rest for Moore, who was the subject of further NCAA investigation in the Stalions’ sign-stealing scandal. He was suspended for two games but got to choose which of the two he would sit out. Michigan went 7-3 this season and lost to Ohio State. The Wolverines are scheduled to play Texas in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Biff Poggi
Poggi served as the head coach for the two games in which Moore served his suspension this season. He had also been an organizational and staff assistant in 2021 and 2022, earning a reputation as Harbaugh’s consigliere. Poggi left Michigan to become the head coach at Charlotte in 2023 and 2024. He was fired prior to the end of the 2024 season 6-16 overall record, and returned to Michigan for the 2025 season.
Main Image: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
