Sherrone Moore responds to report he's coaching without signed contract
Sherrone Moore leads No. 10 Michigan against No. 3 Texas on Saturday in what could be one of the most consequential nonconference games of the season.
Moore’s official debut as the new Michigan head coach concluded with a 30-10 win over Fresno State at the Big House last weekend. One day before that game, USA Today reported that Moore was not yet technically under contract with Michigan and still working under a memorandum of understanding.
When he and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale made an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Friday, Moore was asked about that report.
“I’m committed to Michigan, they’re committed to me,” Moore said. “I am getting paid and I am under contract. We’re in a good place.”
“I’m committed to Michigan and they’re committed to me..
I’m under contract” ~ @Coach_SMoore #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/awcPYepdqz
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 6, 2024
When Michigan promoted Moore to succeed Jim Harbaugh as the program’s head coach, the 2 sides agreed to a 5-year, $30 million deal. The report from USA Today states that a FOIA request submitted to the university for football coaching contracts only returned one fully executed contract — defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
A Michigan spokesperson told USA Today that “a few” of Moore’s assistants had agreed to deals and “some” had signed their contracts. The ones who have not yet done so are working under MOUs. Moore’s first assistant coaching staff features 4 assistants who worked on Harbaugh’s staff prior.
“We are honoring the spirit of the agreements from the signed MOUs at the time of their appointment,” the spokesperson told USA Today.
Moore’s MOU states that his offer is contingent upon executing a full employment agreement with the school within 90 days of signing the MOU, and that deadline passed in April, according to USA Today. The report goes on to state that Moore could be viewed as an at-will employee in the absence of a fully executed contract. At-will employees could be fired without cause or payment of the hefty buyouts that have become standard in major college football.
Michigan received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA in late August pertaining to an alleged sign-stealing operation that made waves last fall. According to the Detroit Free Press, 7 Michigan staffers on the national championship-winning 2023 team are implicated for allegedly violating NCAA rules. Moore was among them.
Because of a separate investigation for COVID-era recruiting violations, Moore can be considered a repeat offender by the Committee of Infractions.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel confirmed the report during an appearance on the Conqur’ing Heroes podcast.
“They are being worked on as we speak,” Manuel said. “But 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.
“It’s just a long-form with more details, more situations at hand. But listen, I’m very happy with him, very happy with our staff, and look forward to having that signed and it becoming a nonissue.”