Sherrone Moore was fired from his position as the Michigan Wolverines' head coach on December 10, following an investigation into an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a staffer who has not yet been named. Moore was subsequently detained by police for allegedly assaulting a person. Amid the shakeup, Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel has come under fire as well.
Trevor McCue, senior editor of Maize & Blue Review, raised questions about the timing of letting Moore go, and noted that Manuel would have to answer for that.
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“Why now? Why let Moore sit at the podium and answer questions about Texas, player development, and offensive philosophy if an active investigation was already pointing the department toward inevitable termination?,” he asked.
McCue also questioned why Moore was not suspended during the investigation. Raising damning questions about Manuel's role, McCue added “Why did Warde Manuel, overseeing a department still bruised from past mismanagement, move at this glacial pace? Was Manuel protecting Moore and himself?”.
What university said during Sherrone Moore firing
The university in a statement said, “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 relationship with a staff member."
{{/usCountry}}The university in a statement said, “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 relationship with a staff member."
{{/usCountry}}They added, "This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior. Biff Poggi has been appointed head football coach in an interim capacity, effective immediately.”
Warde Manuel comes under fire
Manuel reportedly said “Following a university investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member,” as per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
However, many fans have called for his ouster as well. “Strong reason to believe Michigan's Board of Regents will be assessing Warde Manuel's role in this, and his future at U-M,” one person commented.
Another added, “While we are at it. Can we get rid of 2 other things Michigan? Get rid of Mr Brightside! Get rid of Warde Manuel!”.
Yet another person said, “I’m not really sure how Warde Manuel has a job.”