Michigan Fires Sherrone Moore in Shocking Turn of Events
Coaches being fired at this stage of the season is never a surprise, but Michigan firing Sherrone Moore was. That's because it was due to a heinous violation of school policy that has landed Moore in legal hot water and had nothing to do with his coaching performance, which had been pretty stellar.
Sherrone Moore's violation leads to Michigan exit
Michigan had a really strong college football season with Sherrone Moore at the helm. They finished ranked 18th in the final College Football Playoff poll with a 9-3 record. In Week 14, they were ranked 14th, and had they beaten Ohio State, which Moore has done, they might be in the playoff field right now.
Instead, they're at home, and now, they're without a coach. The school reported that he was fired for cause because of an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member," according to ESPN. By Wednesday night, things had gotten much worse. Moore was in jail and a suspect in an alleged assault.
Police responded to a 4:10 pm call "for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault. ... A suspect in this case was taken into custody. This incident does not appear to be random in nature, and there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community."
Moore, the suspect, was lodged in jail pending review of the charges. "At this time, the investigation is ongoing. Given the nature of the allegations, the need to maintain the integrity of the investigation, and its current status at this time, we are prohibited from releasing additional details," the statement continued.
Michigan investigated before
This was not the beginning of Moore's troubles, though. Michigan had investigated after a tip in the fall, but they couldn't find credible evidence of his inappropriate relationship with a staffer. However, more information was revealed on Wednesday, and the evidence was "overwhelming," so they fired Moore.
Moore had been the offensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh, and he succeeded Harbaugh after the cheating scandal, taking over when Harbaugh returned to the NFL to coach the Los Angeles Chargers.
He spent two seasons at the helm, and now Michigan is in need of a new coach. Additionally, it is highly unlikely that Moore coaches again in college. His talent was undeniable, but he now represents far too much baggage. Coaches with troubling histories and past incidents do often get more jobs, but when Moore's job is to interact with young people after having an inappropriate relationship and an alleged assault, it's not ideal.
Potential Replacements
ESPN insiders Eli Lederman, Max Olson, and Adam Rittenberg detailed five potential candidates to take over for Moore. Michigan is a top destination. However, it is worth noting that it is firmly in Ohio State's shadow and that anyone taking over would have immense pressure to get them out.
Either way, the five candidates were Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, Chargers DC Jesse Minter, Washington coach Jedd Fisch, Duke coach Manny Diaz, and Cleveland Browns OC Tommy Rees. Among these, Diaz and Fisch make the most sense, because they'd represent upward moves in college football. Minter and Rees are in the NFL, and DeBoer is happy at Alabama, a much bigger program than Michigan.
There are not a ton of candidates, because most jobs have been filled with those candidates. Many schools that fired their coaches have already hired someone. That left the best once-available names unavailable anymore. The Wolverines can't hire Matt Campbell or Jon Sumrall, for example.
Regardless, Michigan's future is in flux. It wouldn't be a surprise if recruits backed out. QB Bryce Underwood was a huge get in the offseason, but perhaps he considers the portal. It's not a good situation for the Wolverines.
