The University of Michigan has reportedly authorized an investigation into its athletic department amid the Sherrone Moore scandal.
A source told ESPN on Saturday, December 13, that the school has hired Jenner & Block — a Chicago-based law firm — and that the investigation will focus on Moore’s firing.
The law firm has worked with the school in recent years, including an investigation regarding Moore and his staff’s conduct in the fall after the school received an anonymous tip that Moore was involved in a relationship with a staffer. At that time, both the staff member and Moore denied the relationship and the investigation was closed.
It came back into the limelight after Moore’s firing and subsequent arrest on Wednesday, December 10.
The Moore scandal is the latest of a handful of high-profile cases involving the school and specifically the athletic department. In March, former offensive coordinator Matt Weiss was indicted on 24 counts of unauthorized access to computers and aggravated identity theft.
He was charged with targeting specific female athletes to access personal and intimate photographs and videos.
In 2023, Michigan was punished by the NCAA with four years of probation and a fine after former football staffer Connor Stalions was caught in an advanced scouting operation that went against NCAA rules.
Former head coach Jim Harbaugh — who now coaches for the Los Angeles Chargers — was also caught up in that scandal and was suspended multiple times for his role in the advantage scouting scheme as well as recruiting violations.
Sherrone Moore. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Moore himself was previously suspended by the NCAA for deleting a thread of texts to Scalions.
On Wednesday, Moore was fired from his role as head football coach after an alleged relationship with the staff member came back into the public eye.
“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” athletic director Warde Manuel announced Wednesday in a statement. “Following 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.”
After Moore was informed of the decision, he allegedly “barged his way” into the apartment of the woman involved, threatening to kill himself in front of her with a butter knife and scissors.
“[Moore] immediately then proceeded to a kitchen drawer, grabbed several butter knives and a pair of kitchen scissors and began to threaten his own life,” said Kati Rezmierski, first assistant prosecutor for Washtenaw County, during an arraignment hearing on Friday, December 12.
The college football world was rocked by the abrupt firing of University of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore on Wednesday, December 10 — and left even more stunned about what came next. Moore, 39, was terminated on Wednesday after two seasons as the head coach of the Wolverines after the school found “credible evidence” that […]
Moore allegedly told the woman, “I’m going to kill myself. I’m going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life.”
On Friday, Moore was charged with one count of third-degree felony home invasion, one count misdemeanor stalking related to a domestic relationship and one count misdemeanor breaking and entering.
A judge granted him a $25,000 cash surety bond under the condition he not contact the victim and that he wear a GPS tether. A probable cause conference is set for January 22.
Us Weekly has reached out to Moore’s attorney for comment.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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