Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore is facing allegations of NCAA violations in his first season at the helm of the program. Moore took over the position in January after Jim Harbaugh departed to lead the Los Angeles Chargers, amidst a scandal that had landed the program on probation for three years, along with fines and recruiting restrictions due to a sign-stealing incident from the previous season.
As an assistant on the staff since 2018, Moore was accused of deleting text messages with former Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions, who was at the center of the sign-stealing scandal that violated NCAA rules. Moore addressed these allegations to the press for the first time, stating that he is cooperating with the NCAA’s investigation and looking forward to the release of the text messages.
The NCAA recently sent a notice of allegations claiming that Moore deleted 52 messages with Stalions in October after news of the investigation broke. Stalions reportedly purchased tickets to games across the country and directed individuals to record the sidelines of future Michigan opponents on game days. This scandal led to Harbaugh’s suspension for three games during the 2023 regular season, during which Moore served as the interim head coach.
Harbaugh, who led the team to a perfect 15-0 season and a national championship victory over Washington in 2023, has been accused of not cooperating with the NCAA by denying their request to view relevant messages and phone records from his personal cellphone. Moore, on the other hand, continues to focus on preparing the defending national champions for their upcoming season in an expanded Big 10 conference.
In the midst of the ongoing investigation, Stalions is set to be featured in a new episode of the Netflix docuseries “Untold,” titled “Sign Stealer,” which is scheduled for release just days before Michigan’s first game of the season. Moore remains committed to working with the NCAA and addressing the allegations as he navigates the challenges of coaching a high-profile program under scrutiny.