Sherrone Moore earned his shot as Michigan football’s head coach as controversy was engulfing the program. Moore lasted two seasons in the top job with the Wolverines before a shocking firing that quickly turned into one of college football’s wildest stories of the decade.
Michigan announced that Moore was fired with cause at the end of a 9-3 season before its Citrus Bowl matchup with Texas. Moore displayed erratic behavior after his dismissal that led to his arrest by local police later in the day.
Moore was hired as tight ends coach by Michigan in 2018 midway through the Jim Harbaugh era. He eventually worked his way up to offensive coordinator, and quickly earned his shot as interim head coach after Harbaugh accepted a self-imposed suspension in 2023 for allegedly buying hamburgers for recruits. Moore found himself in the interim head coach seat again as the infamous Connor Stalions scandal made national headlines, leading the team to victory against Penn State and Ohio State to set up its national championship run.
Michigan won the national championship in Jan. 2024, then made Moore their next head coach as Harbaugh bolted for the NFL. Moore went 17-8 in his two seasons before his firing on Dec. 10, 2025 rocked the college football world. Here’s what we know about why Moore was fired, as well as the confirmed details about his arrest after learning the news.
Why Michigan fired Sherrone Moore
Moore was fired by the University of Michigan on a Wednesday afternoon, following an investigation into a relationship with a staff member. According to a statement from Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel, Moore was “terminated, with cause, effective immediately.”
The statement went on to read that “[f]ollowing a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of university policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”
The details that have come out since have made Moore’s behavior even more concerning.
Sherrone Moore’s arrest after Michigan firing, explained
Moore’s detainment came in the hours after his termination. According to a statement, the Saline Police Department “assisted in locating and detaining former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore. Mr. Moore was turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department for investigation into potential charges.”
As reported in The Detroit News, Moore was “involved in an incident Wednesday that required police attention.”
As of publication, no charges have been filed. The Pittsfield Police Department did release this statement on Wednesday evening:
The statement references an “alleged assault.”
Subsequent reporting from TMZ has shed new light on the underlying incident. TMZ obtained dispatch audio stemming from the alleged assault, during which a woman claimed the coach “attacked her at her home on Wednesday after stalking her for months.”
During another portion of the dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, “a report is made that the suspect’s wife said he is suicidal … and it’s hard to make it out, but it sounds like it is due to ‘losing his job today.’“
Washtenaw County official records reflect that Moore remains in custody as of Friday morning.
According to the arrangement, the two had an “intimate” relationship for years. The victim broke it off earlier in the week before he was fired. After he was fired, he went to the victim’s apartment, barged in, went to a kitchen drawer, grabbed butter knives and threatened to kill himself. Moore reportedly said the victim “ruined (his) life,” and according to the cops, “the totality of the behavior” makes him a risk to the victim and public safety.
What comes next for Sherrone Moore?
Moore appeared in 14A District Court in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County Court on Friday for an arraignment. He faces the following charges:
- One count of third-degree felony home invasion
- One count of misdemeanor stalking related to a domestic relationship,
- One count of misdemeanor breaking and entering, or entering without breaking
SB Nation observed the arraignment on Friday afternoon. During the arraignment, the prosecutor set forth some of the facts related to the charges. Specifically, the prosecutor outlined that Moore and the alleged victim were in an “intimate” relationship for “years,” and that the victim broke that relationship off on Monday.
On Wednesday, after he was fired by Michigan, it is alleged that Moore went to the victim’s home, “barged” inside, and then “grabbed several butter knives and a pair of kitchen scissors and began to threaten his own life. It is alleged according to the prosecutor that Moore stated to the victim ‘I’m going to kill myself. I’m going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life.’”
The judge in the case ordered a $25,000 bond that comes with several restrictions. Moore cannot use any alcohol or intoxicants, he cannot obtain a firearm or any dangerous weapons, he cannot engage in criminal conduct of any kind, and he cannot leave Michigan without permission of the court. In addition, he cannot have contact with the victim of any kind, including phone calls or texts, “nor any other contact the human mind can fathom.”
The next hearing in the case is set for January 22, 2026.
What comes next for Michigan?
Michigan fired Moore after college football offseason coaching carousel had mostly played out. Who will the Wolverines hire to replace Moore? Check out our list of 10 potential head coaching candidates for Michigan.
There is also some speculation about the future of Athletic Director Warde Manuel. Rumors surfaced on Thursday that Manuel was also fired, but those rumors were not true.
However, reporting from Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports and Rachel Hopmayer of CBS News Detroit has shed some light on how Moore’s last days at Michigan were handled by Manuel. As reported by Hopmayer, Manuel was “informed of former coach Sherrone Moore’s mental health issues on Sunday, just days before Moore was fired.”
According to Auerbach, Manuel fired Moore “alone with no [human resources representative] and no security present.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
