ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was jailed Wednesday, hours after being fired for an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member,” according to court records and law enforcement statements. The 39-year-old Moore was booked at Washtenaw County Jail on Wednesday evening, though jail records did not specify the reason for his detention or any upcoming court dates.
Police in Pittsfield Township, near Michigan Stadium, confirmed they had taken a person into custody in connection with an alleged assault. Authorities said the incident was not random and there was no ongoing threat to public safety. Charges are pending review by prosecutors, and additional details were withheld to protect the integrity of the investigation.
Michigan fired Moore for cause after confirming the relationship with a staffer, ending a turbulent two-year tenure. Moore, who is married with three young daughters, compiled a 9-3 record this year following an 8-5 debut season. Athletic director Warde Manuel said the conduct “constitutes a clear violation of university policy” and that Michigan maintains “zero tolerance for such behavior.” Because Moore was fired for cause, the university will not pay out the remaining years of his $5.5 million annual contract.
Moore, previously Michigan’s offensive coordinator, was promoted to head coach after the Wolverines won the 2023 national championship and succeeded Jim Harbaugh, who returned to the NFL to lead the Los Angeles Chargers. The 18th-ranked Wolverines (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) are set to face No. 14 Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31. Biff Poggi, who served as interim coach during Moore’s suspension earlier this season, will return as interim head coach.
Moore’s tenure included a suspension for NCAA violations linked to a sign-stealing scandal and a history of deleted communications with staff involved in the investigation. Once considered a rising star in college football, Moore worked his way up from tight ends coach to co-offensive coordinator and eventually head coach, filling in for Harbaugh during suspensions in 2023. His coaching career began at Louisville, followed by Central Michigan, before joining Michigan in 2018.
The firing of Moore marks Michigan’s third coaching change in four years and comes amid other high-profile college football scandals, including the 2023 firing of Michigan State’s Mel Tucker for misconduct and Arkansas’ 2012 dismissal of Bobby Petrino following personal and professional misconduct.
