Why did Michigan fire Sherrone Moore? What to know about Wolverines’ stunning coaching decision
Michigan has fired head coach Sherrone Moore for cause, per a report.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported the news on Wednesday afternoon. The news comes shortly after Michigan’s early signing period, as Moore was just finishing up his second season with the Wolverines.
MORE: Who is Biff Poggi? Get to know Michigan’s interim head coach
Why did Michigan fire Sherrone Moore?
According to the school, the firing comes amid allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a UM staffer.
Michigan announces that Sherrone Moore has been fired for cause & school found “credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 10, 2025
UM athletic director released a statement after reports came out. Manuel added that More’s conduct is a clear violation of university policy, and the school has “zero tolerance” for such behavior.
Statement from University of Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel:
“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately. Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 10, 2025
Moore had just finished his second season as Michigan’s head coach, finishing with an 18-8 record. The Wolverines lost 27-9 to Ohio State to finish 9-3 on the season. Moore has been married to his wife, Kelli Moore since 2015. The couple shares three daughters together.
Beyond his suspension earlier in the 2025 season, Moore had faced two prior penalties: a one-game ban for the 2023 season opener stemming from recruiting violations, and an outstanding one-game suspension tied to the sign-stealing investigation that was scheduled for the first game of the 2026 season.
MORE: Michigan reveals stunning reason for Sherrone Moore firing
Sherrone Moore detained by police
According to ESPN’s Dan Wetzel, Moore was detained by police in Saline, Mich. on Wednesday evening.
Breaking: Ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore was detained by police in Saline, Mich. this evening and turned over to police in Pittsfield Township for investigation into potential charges, reporting with @PeteThamel pic.twitter.com/KTuzlmNXQ7
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) December 11, 2025
No charges have been filed at this time, and it is obviously unknown if the incident is related to his dismissal by Michigan Wednesday afternoon.
ESPN additionally reported on Wednesday evening that Moore was jailed as a “suspect in an alleged assault.”
According to Tony Paul of the Detroit News, Moore remains in the Washtenaw County jail as of Wednesday evening, per court records.
Fired UM football coach Sherrone Moore is in the Washtenaw County jail tonight, per court records. https://t.co/hLhM7YewHr
— Tony Paul | Detroit News (@TonyPaul1984) December 11, 2025
Here’s more from Paul’s original reporting:
Moore was detained by police Wednesday afternoon and was in custody in the Washtenaw County Jail as of 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to online court records. He was booked at 8:30 p.m., according to court records.
Saline police chief Marlene Radzik confirmed to The News earlier Wednesday that nearby Pittsfield Township’s police department was handling a complaint involving Moore. After 10 p.m. Wednesday, Pittsfield Township police confirmed it handled an assault investigation, without naming Moore. Police said the investigation began around 4:10 p.m., minutes before UM announced Moore’s firing.
In a statement to the media, Pittsfield police chief Patrick Gray stated that “the incident does not appear to be random in nature, and there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community.”
He added that an investigation is ongoing. Saline, Mich. lies about 9.5 miles south of Ann Arbor.
What does “fired for cause mean”?
Firing him for cause means the school has a legitimate reason to dismiss Moore. In this case, an inappropriate relationship with a staff member likely resulted in a breach of contract, allowing the school to terminate him without paying a buyout.
There are various clauses within a head coach’s contract that subject coaches to firing for cause. Oftentimes, the coach is contractually obligated to represent the university with high standards. Michigan State fire Mel Tucker in 2023 after an investigation revealed that he sexually assaulted a Title IX advocate, Brenda Tracy, who previously spoke to the MSU football program. The Spartans had to vacate 14 wins under Tucker earlier this year.
There is a chance that firing Moore for cause means the school would not have to pay him his buyout of $13,897,916.
Who is Michigan’s interim coach?
Michigan’s interim head coach is former Charlotte head coach Biff Poggi. The longtime Michigan staffer had coached under Jim Harbaugh and re-joined Moore’s staff midseason.
When Moore was suspended earlier in the 2025 season, Poggi took over for two games and led the Wolverines to a 2-0 record. Combined with his tenure at Charlotte, Poggi has an 8-16 career record as a head coach.
The Wolverines are set to take on Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31.
Sherrone Moore Michigan record
In two years as Michigan head coach, Moore finished with a record of 18-8. He was 16-8 in his two-year tenure as the official head coach, with two additional wins coming as acting head coach when Jim Harbaugh was suspended.
He led the Wolverines to an 8-5 record (5-4 Big Ten) in his first full season, a campaign defined by two monumental victories. Moore secured a fourth consecutive win over No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus and followed it by defeating Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Michigan also won all four of its rivalry trophy games that year.
In 2025, Michigan finished the regular season 9-3 and will face Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31. The Wolverines’ three losses all came against ranked opponents — No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 16 USC and No. 1 Ohio State — and they managed just two total touchdowns across those games.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
