Michigan’s Sherrone Moore has been coaching without a signed contract

The Michigan Wolverines are one game into the Sherrone Moore era. Well, at least in the record books, that is.

It was revealed last week that Moore has yet to sign a contract with the Wolverines even as he continues to run the program, according to USA Today. He was announced as the school’s successor to head coach Jim Harbaugh — who became the new head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers shortly after Michigan won the College Football Playoff National Championship — in January with a memorandum of understanding. That understanding was “contingent upon executing a full employment agreement within 90 days.” The deadline passed without a deal.

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel elaborated on Moore’s status.

“They are being worked on as we speak,” Manuel said in an interview with On3 about Moore’s status. “I’ve signed a couple of the assistant coaches [to contracts]. We had not only a transition in football, [but] we had a transition in basketball, we’re dealing with NCAA matters, we’re dealing with the situation with our apparel provider and bringing on Legends as shortly as Saturday. These things take time, the contracts.”

Manuel also said that Moore understands the school’s “commitment to him,” and vice versa, with optimism existing that a deal will eventually be hammered out.

Michigan won its first game with Moore as the permanent head coach at home over the Fresno State Bulldogs last week. The Wolverines came away with a 30-10 victory, though they led by just six points with 10:06 remaining. Next up for the No. 10 Wolverines is a home matchup against the No. 3 Texas Longhorns — who were also in the College Football Playoff last season — on “Big Noon Saturday” (12 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

Moore served as acting coach for Michigan in four games last season, as Harbaugh was serving multiple suspensions. One of those suspensions recently implicated Moore. That suspension is related to the NCAA’s investigation into the Wolverines for allegedly having a sign-stealing scheme in place, which was based on gaining impermissible access to opposing teams’ on-field signals.

Moore has been on Michigan’s coaching staff since 2018. He began as tight ends coach (2018-20), followed by serving as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach (2021-22), and then offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and acting head coach (2023). 

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