Michigan, football coach Sherrone Moore finally complete contract

Michigan and football coach Sherrone Moore have finalized his contract -- nearly eight months after the school hired him to replace Jim Harbaugh. Moore had been working under a memorandum of understanding he signed in late January. The school announced Moore's signing on Wednesday. Contract terms were not revealed, but the January agreement pegged the deal at five years for $30 million. USA Today reported ahead of Michigan's Aug. 31 opener against Fresno State that a contract had yet to be signed. Moore, 38, joined Harbaugh's staff as tight ends coach in 2018 and worked his way to offensive coordinator. He was interim coach for four games of Michigan's 2023 national championship season when Harbaugh was suspended. "He is a proven leader and has been a great ambassador during his seven-plus years representing Michigan," Michigan president Santa Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel said in a joint statement Wednesday. "Our university and athletic department is behind Coach Moore, his coaching staff and the great student-athletes." "All three of us are aligned in our goals for this football program," Moore said of Ono and Manuel. "We want the attention to be on the players who work so hard to represent this team and university at the highest level. All of my focus is and always will be centered on the mental, physical and spiritual development of the young men that suit up to play for Michigan." Michigan executed the contract after a report by ESPN in early August that said Moore was one of seven members from last season's football program accused of violating NCAA rules in a draft report of the NCAA's notice of allegations. ESPN said Moore is accused of committing a Level 2 violation, according to the draft document. That would make him a potential repeat violator by the NCAA, given that he contacted recruits during a COVID-19 recruiting dead period. No. 17 Michigan is off to a 1-1 start, defeating Fresno State 30-10 and losing to then-No. 3 Texas 31-12 last Saturday. The Wolverines host Arkansas State on Saturday before beginning Big Ten play against Southern California on Sept. 21. --Field Level Media