Sherrone Moore contract: Where Michigan football's coach ranks nationally, Big Ten

Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore is the 35th-highest paid coach in college football for the 2024 season, according to the USA TODAY Sports coaching salary database.

Moore is in his first year at the helm of one of college football's biggest brands after serving as the offensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh on the 2023 national title team . But that might be underselling Moore's role in the championship run.

Harbaugh was suspended on two separate occasions last year , once at the beginning of the season for violating a COVID-19-related dead period, and again for the final three games of the season in relation to the sign-stealing saga as the Wolverines underwent their toughest tests against Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State.

Moore served as an interim coach for an early season game against Bowling Green, and then again filled in as when Harbaugh was suspended for the final three games. Moore, 38, went 4-0 in those games and helped the Wolverines reach the Big Ten championship game unscathed for Harbaugh's return.

Largely because of his work as an interim coach, Moore was selected as the 21st head coach — and the first Black head coach — in program history.

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While it didn't take too long for Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel to name Moore as Harbaugh's successor, the contract was not as easily worked out.

Moore's contract was not formally finalized until after the 2024 season was underway , with Moore operating as the program's head coach despite having not signed a contract.

In the end, Moore signed a deal that pays him $6 million in 2024, according to USA TODAY's database. That makes him the 35th-highest paid coach nationally and the 13th-highest paid coach in the Big Ten.

The Big Ten coaches who make more than Moore are USC's Lincoln Riley ($10.04 million), Ohio State's Ryan Day ($10.02 million), Penn State's James Franklin ($8.5 million), Oregon's Dan Lanning ($8.2 million), Wisconsin's Luke Fickell ($7.73 million), Washington's Jedd Fisch ($7.7 million), Michigan State's Jonathan Smith ($7.25 million), Iowa's Kirk Ferentz ($7 million), Minnesota's P.J. Fleck ($6.7 million), Illinois' Bret Bielema ($6.65 million), Nebraska's Matt Rhule ($6.5 million) and Rutgers' Greg Schiano ($6.25M).

Fisch and Smith are also in their first seasons as their programs' head coaches.

According to the USA TODAY Sports database, Harbaugh made $8.25 million last year.

There have been some highs and some lows in the Moore era after the Wolverines started the season as the No. 8 team in the country in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Michigan opened the season with a 30-10 win over Fresno State and then was blown out by Texas at home, 31-12, in Week 2.

The Wolverines bounced back with three straight wins, including close ones over USC and Minnesota in Big Ten play, before falling on the road to Washington, 27-17. After a week off, the Wolverines will be back on the field this weekend to play No. 21 Illinois on the road with new starting quarterback Jack Tuttle .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sherrone Moore contract: Where Michigan football's coach ranks nationally, Big Ten