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On January 26, the Michigan Wolverines announced that they hired offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore as their next head coach on a five-year, $30 million deal.
Fast forward more than seven months and Moore still does not have a contract. Moore, 38, is working under a memorandum of understanding that underlines the majority of details in his contract.
But he’s yet to sign an actual contract with the Wolverines despite beginning the new season, and it’s starting to raise some eyebrows.
"We've been busy." is an easy copout.
Contract language disputes dragging on often a sign of unspoken concerns. https://t.co/trGf8X415T
— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) September 5, 2024
Warde Manuel Opens Up About Sherrone Moore Contract Situation
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel recently made an appearance on the university’s in-house podcast, Conqu’ring Heroes, and explained the situation with Moore and why it hasn’t been resolved.
“We know his commitment to us and the same thing with the assistant coaches,” Manuel said. “It hasn’t been something that has been an issue for me or for them, but we’re working through it and we’ll hopefully have them wrapped up very soon.
“The Memorandum of Understanding is a legal document that does bind us and bind them to it and it spells out pretty much everything that’s in the contract.”
That makes sense. But it’s now been seven months. If you want Moore, and Moore wants Michigan, what’s the hold up?
“We had a transition not only in football, 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,” Manuel explained. “These things take time, the contracts. They don’t just happen overnight and there are things that have popped up, but they’re being worked on. Sherrone knows our commitment to him.”
Sure, but seven months is a lot of time. Especially when you’re talking about the head coach of a football program that just won a national championship.
Notably, Moore is still a subject of the NCAA’s investigation into Michigan and former staffer Connor Stalions over sign stealing.
So maybe there’s a bit more to this contract situation than Manuel is leading on.