2 months ago
The Oklahoma Sooners hit the road for the first time in 2026 on Saturday afternoon. OU heads to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Big House in Week 2.
Michigan went 9-4 last year, but the Wolverines have changed a lot since then. Former head coach Sherrone Moore was fired at the end of the regular season, with Biff Poggi serving as the interim head coach. Michigan hired former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham as the new head man on December 26th.
Whittingham coached Utah from 2005 to 2025, posting a 177-88 record as the head man of the Utes. His teams won three conference ****** les and played in three more conference ****** le games. The Wolverines were looking for a stable presence in the wake of everything that happened with Moore and his predecessor Jim Harbaugh, and they certainly got that in the veteran Whittingham. He'll square off with Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables in a huge game for both programs.
Michigan won at home last week against Western Michigan, 13-12. That victory came in controversial fashion, as the Wolverines were given an extra second on the clock after it appeared the game was over. Michigan used that second to throw a Hail Mary that was caught for the win. After escaping by the slimmest of margins, the Wolverines will certainly play a lot better on Saturday than they did last week.
On offense, Venables will be matched up against offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who came over with Whittingham. Beck has led strong offenses at New Mexico in 2024 and at Syracuse in 2023. His scheme is know for a stout rushing attack that also runs the quarterback a lot, something the Sooners got a heavy dose of last week against UTEP.
#head #whittingham #last #Sooners
Michigan went 9-4 last year, but the Wolverines have changed a lot since then. Former head coach Sherrone Moore was fired at the end of the regular season, with Biff Poggi serving as the interim head coach. Michigan hired former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham as the new head man on December 26th.
Whittingham coached Utah from 2005 to 2025, posting a 177-88 record as the head man of the Utes. His teams won three conference ****** les and played in three more conference ****** le games. The Wolverines were looking for a stable presence in the wake of everything that happened with Moore and his predecessor Jim Harbaugh, and they certainly got that in the veteran Whittingham. He'll square off with Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables in a huge game for both programs.
Michigan won at home last week against Western Michigan, 13-12. That victory came in controversial fashion, as the Wolverines were given an extra second on the clock after it appeared the game was over. Michigan used that second to throw a Hail Mary that was caught for the win. After escaping by the slimmest of margins, the Wolverines will certainly play a lot better on Saturday than they did last week.
On offense, Venables will be matched up against offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who came over with Whittingham. Beck has led strong offenses at New Mexico in 2024 and at Syracuse in 2023. His scheme is know for a stout rushing attack that also runs the quarterback a lot, something the Sooners got a heavy dose of last week against UTEP.
#head #whittingham #last #Sooners
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2 months ago
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Embarrassing. An embarrassment. And more embarrassing beyond that.
The Kyle Whittingham era was supposed to embody toughness, discipline, playing smart, and doing things the right way. After saying all of the right things and appearing to be confident in what Michigan football would bring to the table in his debut in Ann Arbor, Whittingham's team was not only the opposite of everything he espouses, it was a debacle in every way. The Wolverines were a miracle away from, at best, the second-worst loss in program history, and given what the head coach's teams had been for two-plus decades in Salt Lake City, it's a head-scratcher.
The opening offensive drive was as impressive as the rest of the game was bad. Despite mistakes, quarterback Bryce Underwood sliced through the Western Michigan defense like a hot knife through ***** er, making what ended up being fall camp bluster look prescient. But that was it. 75 yards on the opening drive, and a 47-yard Hail Mary aside, it accounted for all but 154 yards accumulated all game. The offense, against a supposedly overmatched foe, made the Sherrone Moore-era offense look like the air raid by comparison. The defense got off the field, surrendering little in terms of points, sure, but it also allowed the Broncos to hold the ball for over 40 minutes, including a 13-minute, 40-second drive spanning from the third to fourth quarters. When the offense got the ball back, it quickly relinquished possession after three plays, managing seven yards on first down before deciding that moving the ball forward was anathema to its goals.
And then there were the other mistakes: missed ***** ignments, an ***** ortment of penalties, and all-around bad play. It wasn't just the opposite of what was expected; it was the opposite of how Whittingham's teams in Utah played for 21 years.
"I'm going to reserve judgment on that until I dissect the film," Whittingham said after the game. "But we talked about how we improved dramatically through fall camp. That's a fact. I mean, there's no one that attended practice that wouldn't tell you anything different. We had former players there, and everybody had the same ***** ysis. And so, and we're not -- I'm not saying that Bryce played a bad game. This isn't on Bryce Underwood. This is, like I said, it's on me, and I've got to figure out a way to have these guys better prepared and be able to get into a rhythm offensively. It's like we never got into a rhythm after that first drive. We always found a way to screw it up. We were like 0-for-5 or 0-for-6 before we converted on third down. And you just can't win football games like that. We were very fortunate to win, obviously."
#drive #whittingham
The Kyle Whittingham era was supposed to embody toughness, discipline, playing smart, and doing things the right way. After saying all of the right things and appearing to be confident in what Michigan football would bring to the table in his debut in Ann Arbor, Whittingham's team was not only the opposite of everything he espouses, it was a debacle in every way. The Wolverines were a miracle away from, at best, the second-worst loss in program history, and given what the head coach's teams had been for two-plus decades in Salt Lake City, it's a head-scratcher.
The opening offensive drive was as impressive as the rest of the game was bad. Despite mistakes, quarterback Bryce Underwood sliced through the Western Michigan defense like a hot knife through ***** er, making what ended up being fall camp bluster look prescient. But that was it. 75 yards on the opening drive, and a 47-yard Hail Mary aside, it accounted for all but 154 yards accumulated all game. The offense, against a supposedly overmatched foe, made the Sherrone Moore-era offense look like the air raid by comparison. The defense got off the field, surrendering little in terms of points, sure, but it also allowed the Broncos to hold the ball for over 40 minutes, including a 13-minute, 40-second drive spanning from the third to fourth quarters. When the offense got the ball back, it quickly relinquished possession after three plays, managing seven yards on first down before deciding that moving the ball forward was anathema to its goals.
And then there were the other mistakes: missed ***** ignments, an ***** ortment of penalties, and all-around bad play. It wasn't just the opposite of what was expected; it was the opposite of how Whittingham's teams in Utah played for 21 years.
"I'm going to reserve judgment on that until I dissect the film," Whittingham said after the game. "But we talked about how we improved dramatically through fall camp. That's a fact. I mean, there's no one that attended practice that wouldn't tell you anything different. We had former players there, and everybody had the same ***** ysis. And so, and we're not -- I'm not saying that Bryce played a bad game. This isn't on Bryce Underwood. This is, like I said, it's on me, and I've got to figure out a way to have these guys better prepared and be able to get into a rhythm offensively. It's like we never got into a rhythm after that first drive. We always found a way to screw it up. We were like 0-for-5 or 0-for-6 before we converted on third down. And you just can't win football games like that. We were very fortunate to win, obviously."
#drive #whittingham
2 months ago
College football's coaching carousel was a doozy last winter, spinning wildly and putting some new faces in new places.
That ride included Lane Kiffin's closely watched move from Ole Miss to LSU.
A slew of schools were desperate to find the right man to help them win games and generate revenue for athletic departments that have a lot of bills to pay in the new era of college athletics.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore's firing and arrest created a job opening with college football's winningest program and Kyle Whittingham took the job, shortly after stepping down at Utah.
Here's a look at some notable first-year coaches at Power Four schools:
#miss #michigan #sherrone #power
That ride included Lane Kiffin's closely watched move from Ole Miss to LSU.
A slew of schools were desperate to find the right man to help them win games and generate revenue for athletic departments that have a lot of bills to pay in the new era of college athletics.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore's firing and arrest created a job opening with college football's winningest program and Kyle Whittingham took the job, shortly after stepping down at Utah.
Here's a look at some notable first-year coaches at Power Four schools:
#miss #michigan #sherrone #power
2 months ago
At this time last year, the experts predicted quite a busy coaching carousel.
But even the most aggressive prognosticators couldn't have seen the onslaught of the 2025 hiring cycle: more than 30 FBS coaching transitions, including 17 in the power leagues.
Who had Brian Kelly (LSU), James Franklin (Penn State) and Sherrone Moore (Michigan) all getting fired? Or that Kyle Whittingham would be pushed aside at Utah and then land in Ann Arbor? Or that Michigan State would replace Jonathan Smith after Year 2 for Pat Fitzgerald?
Don't expect this year to be as action packed. However, we've all learned to expect the unexpected from the hiring-and-firing industry.
Our annual coaching hot seat list is ****** embled through conversations with those in the college administrative, search firm and agent world. It's not our opinion. It's not subjective. It relies on the expertise and knowledge from industry insiders, some of whom are already positioning themselves for a search or expecting one at a particular school.
#state #brian
But even the most aggressive prognosticators couldn't have seen the onslaught of the 2025 hiring cycle: more than 30 FBS coaching transitions, including 17 in the power leagues.
Who had Brian Kelly (LSU), James Franklin (Penn State) and Sherrone Moore (Michigan) all getting fired? Or that Kyle Whittingham would be pushed aside at Utah and then land in Ann Arbor? Or that Michigan State would replace Jonathan Smith after Year 2 for Pat Fitzgerald?
Don't expect this year to be as action packed. However, we've all learned to expect the unexpected from the hiring-and-firing industry.
Our annual coaching hot seat list is ****** embled through conversations with those in the college administrative, search firm and agent world. It's not our opinion. It's not subjective. It relies on the expertise and knowledge from industry insiders, some of whom are already positioning themselves for a search or expecting one at a particular school.
#state #brian
3 months ago
The Michigan Wolverines are coming off one of the noisiest offseasons in all of college football. Head coach Sherrone Moore was dismissed from the program after the Univeristy determined that he had been involved in an "inappropriate relationship" with a staffer.
"U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately," the university announced in December. "Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member."
The university then hired Jenner & Block, a Chicago-based law firm, to launch a full investigation into the practices and culture of its athletic department and the scandals that have impacted it recently. Ultimately, the investigation led to the school and athletic director Warde Manuel agreeing to mutually part ways at the end of the year.
Now, the school and football program are looking to turn the corner, a process that started with the hire of the well-respected Kyle Whittingham as the football program's new head coach. Whittingham is inheriting a team that went 9-4 last season, including a loss to the Texas Longhorns in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. For Whittingham to get the Wolverines back to ****** le contention, he'll have to unlock the full potential of quarterback Bryce Underwood, the number-one overall in the 2025 recruiting class.
Luckily for Michigan fans, he's poised to do just that.
#coach #head #sherrone
"U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately," the university announced in December. "Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member."
The university then hired Jenner & Block, a Chicago-based law firm, to launch a full investigation into the practices and culture of its athletic department and the scandals that have impacted it recently. Ultimately, the investigation led to the school and athletic director Warde Manuel agreeing to mutually part ways at the end of the year.
Now, the school and football program are looking to turn the corner, a process that started with the hire of the well-respected Kyle Whittingham as the football program's new head coach. Whittingham is inheriting a team that went 9-4 last season, including a loss to the Texas Longhorns in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. For Whittingham to get the Wolverines back to ****** le contention, he'll have to unlock the full potential of quarterback Bryce Underwood, the number-one overall in the 2025 recruiting class.
Luckily for Michigan fans, he's poised to do just that.
#coach #head #sherrone
3 months ago
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Football teams often have to deal with sudden change, but perhaps the change was even more sudden for special teams coordinator Kerry Coombs.
The former Ohio State defensive coordinator was the final hire by former head coach Sherrone Moore, having ousted JB Brown at the end of the season. Coombs was in Ann Arbor for just a few days before Moore, himself, was out. Thus, his head was somewhat spinning, as he got a new job and then suddenly, the person who hired him was gone.
On Thursday, Coombs recalled the tumultuous December and how he found himself wearing maize and blue.
"It's quite a story," Coombs said. "There's a great book in there somewhere. I got hired, officially hired, on Saturday. Coach asked me if I could be up here on Sunday, which I packed my boxes and came on up and said we've got practice on Monday. We did. That was our first bowl practice. Coach was sitting in the front row. We started with a special teams meeting. I was installing things. We practiced the first day. Same thing for the second day. Then the third day, Coach got up in the middle of the meeting and left. Then we ended up having a full meeting after that. We were notified that there was going to be a change made.
"For me, I give Biff and those guys that were here a lot of credit for holding things together. They embraced me. I knew some guys in the building because the guys were here, like Dave and Phil Bromley. Those guys were here when I was bringing my high school team up here years and years ago. I knew some people. Tony is the only guy I knew on the staff. It was an incredible month. My wife would tell you that. I couldn't be more excited to have survived that and be here right now."
#coach #teams #change #arbor
The former Ohio State defensive coordinator was the final hire by former head coach Sherrone Moore, having ousted JB Brown at the end of the season. Coombs was in Ann Arbor for just a few days before Moore, himself, was out. Thus, his head was somewhat spinning, as he got a new job and then suddenly, the person who hired him was gone.
On Thursday, Coombs recalled the tumultuous December and how he found himself wearing maize and blue.
"It's quite a story," Coombs said. "There's a great book in there somewhere. I got hired, officially hired, on Saturday. Coach asked me if I could be up here on Sunday, which I packed my boxes and came on up and said we've got practice on Monday. We did. That was our first bowl practice. Coach was sitting in the front row. We started with a special teams meeting. I was installing things. We practiced the first day. Same thing for the second day. Then the third day, Coach got up in the middle of the meeting and left. Then we ended up having a full meeting after that. We were notified that there was going to be a change made.
"For me, I give Biff and those guys that were here a lot of credit for holding things together. They embraced me. I knew some guys in the building because the guys were here, like Dave and Phil Bromley. Those guys were here when I was bringing my high school team up here years and years ago. I knew some people. Tony is the only guy I knew on the staff. It was an incredible month. My wife would tell you that. I couldn't be more excited to have survived that and be here right now."
#coach #teams #change #arbor
3 months ago
A month from now, the focus will be squarely on the 2026 college football season, which features real expectations for the Michigan Wolverines despite all of the chaos of the offseason. The time to lock in is very close, but I wanted to perform one more labor-intensive yet not hugely beneficial "analysis" before we reach the games actually being played.
I suspect I am not alone in watching plenty of highlights over the offseason to kill time. (Drop a random event in the comments: mine is that Giles Jackson apparently returned the second-half kickoff back for a score in that triple overtime escape against Rutgers in 2020 — who knew?!) As I stroll down memory lane, one question kept coming back to mind: which end zone at Michigan Stadium gets more excitement?
To start off this super meaningful exercise, I looked at all home games between 2021 and 2025. Over these 36 contests, Michigan scored an average of 4.2 touchdowns per game, which seems like a pretty good total! Many of these were on the ground, as opposed to explosive passing plays, and some of the ones in September were fairly forgettable, but there are clearly some fun things happening here.
Unsurprisingly, the numbers have fallen a bit post-2023, with 4.7 touchdowns per game during the Big Ten Championship streak falling to 3.7 TD/game in the Sherrone Moore area. Quality of competition plays a role, though that excuse only goes so far. Removing the Group of Five opponents yields the same dropoff, with 3.8 TD/game pre-Moore turning into 2.8 TD/game the past two seasons.
Seeing that the Wolverines scored a bunch under Jim Harbaugh, then less under Moore, is not exactly news. No, the whole point of this effort is to determine if Michigan scores more in the north end zone (left on tv) or the south (right). Prepare yourself for a lot of numbers!
#game #zone #scored
I suspect I am not alone in watching plenty of highlights over the offseason to kill time. (Drop a random event in the comments: mine is that Giles Jackson apparently returned the second-half kickoff back for a score in that triple overtime escape against Rutgers in 2020 — who knew?!) As I stroll down memory lane, one question kept coming back to mind: which end zone at Michigan Stadium gets more excitement?
To start off this super meaningful exercise, I looked at all home games between 2021 and 2025. Over these 36 contests, Michigan scored an average of 4.2 touchdowns per game, which seems like a pretty good total! Many of these were on the ground, as opposed to explosive passing plays, and some of the ones in September were fairly forgettable, but there are clearly some fun things happening here.
Unsurprisingly, the numbers have fallen a bit post-2023, with 4.7 touchdowns per game during the Big Ten Championship streak falling to 3.7 TD/game in the Sherrone Moore area. Quality of competition plays a role, though that excuse only goes so far. Removing the Group of Five opponents yields the same dropoff, with 3.8 TD/game pre-Moore turning into 2.8 TD/game the past two seasons.
Seeing that the Wolverines scored a bunch under Jim Harbaugh, then less under Moore, is not exactly news. No, the whole point of this effort is to determine if Michigan scores more in the north end zone (left on tv) or the south (right). Prepare yourself for a lot of numbers!
#game #zone #scored
3 months ago
CHICAGO -- For decades, Michigan football was synonymous with doing things the right way, having never been subject to any NCAA investigations or penalties. There was little in the way of coaches doing the wrong thing, but the changeover from Gary Moeller to Lloyd Carr showed that the Wolverines weren't fully impervious to that. But the past four years have seen black eye after black eye -- some deserved, some debatably so.
From 'burgergate' to 'signgate' to Sherrone Moore's firing, it seems that cameras and the NCAA have been set up outside of Schembechler Hall for some time now. Thus, after Moore's dismissal for having an inappropriate relationship with his ****** istant, Paige Shiver, the program hired Kyle Whittingham from Utah, who's known for running a tight, clean ship.
And Whittingham said in his Big Ten media days press conference that the team is ready to put the past in the past and go forth with a clean record.
"They're hungry and ready to get back into a season and get into some football again," Whittingham said. "They've been through a lot the last four or five years, but hopefully we can put the drama to bed and just get back to being student-athletes and having a great college experience."
Whittingham noted in the same press conference that he hopes that with the most recent calamity, Moore's indiscretions, football can again be the main focus in Ann Arbor. The players are eager to showcase their capability, and he doesn't want the shadows of the past to haunt the program any further.
#ncaa #doing #program
From 'burgergate' to 'signgate' to Sherrone Moore's firing, it seems that cameras and the NCAA have been set up outside of Schembechler Hall for some time now. Thus, after Moore's dismissal for having an inappropriate relationship with his ****** istant, Paige Shiver, the program hired Kyle Whittingham from Utah, who's known for running a tight, clean ship.
And Whittingham said in his Big Ten media days press conference that the team is ready to put the past in the past and go forth with a clean record.
"They're hungry and ready to get back into a season and get into some football again," Whittingham said. "They've been through a lot the last four or five years, but hopefully we can put the drama to bed and just get back to being student-athletes and having a great college experience."
Whittingham noted in the same press conference that he hopes that with the most recent calamity, Moore's indiscretions, football can again be the main focus in Ann Arbor. The players are eager to showcase their capability, and he doesn't want the shadows of the past to haunt the program any further.
#ncaa #doing #program
3 months ago
Next up in the opponent preview series is the Michigan Wolverines. After an up-and-down season, which ended in the firing of Sherrone Moore and the first loss to Ohio State since 2019, Michigan decided to hire longtime Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. The Wolverines will look to put years of on- and off-the-field scandals behind them and return to their identity of being tough and physical in the trenches.
Rutgers has had an interesting history with the Wolverines, sealing their first-ever Big Ten victory over UM in 2014 with Kemoko Turay blocking a late field goal attempt to preserve a 26-24 win and prompting a field storm at SHI Stadium. Since then, it has all been downhill, including the infamous 78-0 loss that still leaves a pit in Rutgers' fans' stomachs.
More recently, Knights fans have struggled with much closer losses to the program, which offer a different type of heartache. There was a string of three surprisingly competitive games against a stronger Michigan team, including a 48-42 3OT escape by UM in 2020, a frustrating 20-13 Rutgers loss in Ann Arbor in 2021, and a shocking 17-14 halftime lead for the Knights at home turning into a 52-17 Michigan rout in 2022.
The last meeting between the sides was arguably the most anticlimactic, with Rutgers falling to Michigan 31-7 after an early Christian Dremel touchdown put RU up 7-0. The Knights have not seen the Wolverines since that 2023 meeting, which was the year Michigan won the national championship.
With the history being unpacked, let us turn our attention to this year's Michigan Wolverines and what to expect when Whittingham's team arrives in New Jersey on what should be an interesting Halloween gameday.
#wolverines #rutgers #since #loss
Rutgers has had an interesting history with the Wolverines, sealing their first-ever Big Ten victory over UM in 2014 with Kemoko Turay blocking a late field goal attempt to preserve a 26-24 win and prompting a field storm at SHI Stadium. Since then, it has all been downhill, including the infamous 78-0 loss that still leaves a pit in Rutgers' fans' stomachs.
More recently, Knights fans have struggled with much closer losses to the program, which offer a different type of heartache. There was a string of three surprisingly competitive games against a stronger Michigan team, including a 48-42 3OT escape by UM in 2020, a frustrating 20-13 Rutgers loss in Ann Arbor in 2021, and a shocking 17-14 halftime lead for the Knights at home turning into a 52-17 Michigan rout in 2022.
The last meeting between the sides was arguably the most anticlimactic, with Rutgers falling to Michigan 31-7 after an early Christian Dremel touchdown put RU up 7-0. The Knights have not seen the Wolverines since that 2023 meeting, which was the year Michigan won the national championship.
With the history being unpacked, let us turn our attention to this year's Michigan Wolverines and what to expect when Whittingham's team arrives in New Jersey on what should be an interesting Halloween gameday.
#wolverines #rutgers #since #loss
3 months ago
CHICAGO — Kyle Whittingham is a tone-setter. At Michigan, he also has to be a stain remover. The 66-year-old former Utah frontman is tasked with ameliorating a program tainted by scandal.
Whittingham was hired by Warde Manuel, an athletic director who's now stepping down at the end of the calendar year after being implicated in an internal investigation "into the circumstances surrounding the conduct" of fired Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore. Manuel, according to an FAQ the school put out earlier this month about the investigation and its corresponding culture review, demonstrated "failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing by Athletic Department employees."
Moore, notably, was arrested by police and fired by Michigan in December for what the university described as an "inappropriate relationship" with a staff member. He faced a collection of charges, including a charge of felony home invasion, although he dodged jail time by reaching a plea deal earlier this year.
The nefarious web extends further, of course, as Moore's two-season stint at the helm began when he officially took over for Jim Harbaugh, who was in charge of the Wolverines when they were marred by their infamous sign-stealing scheme. That ploy resulted in some casting a perverse shadow over the national ******* le Michigan won during the 2023 season. Even before that saga began, Harbaugh got caught up in recruiting violations at Michigan.
For years, Wolverines players have found themselves in a vacuum of controversy and uncertainty. Whittingham, after a 21-season tenure piloting the Utes, yearns to bring stability to Ann Arbor.
#moore #harbaugh #Athletic
Whittingham was hired by Warde Manuel, an athletic director who's now stepping down at the end of the calendar year after being implicated in an internal investigation "into the circumstances surrounding the conduct" of fired Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore. Manuel, according to an FAQ the school put out earlier this month about the investigation and its corresponding culture review, demonstrated "failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing by Athletic Department employees."
Moore, notably, was arrested by police and fired by Michigan in December for what the university described as an "inappropriate relationship" with a staff member. He faced a collection of charges, including a charge of felony home invasion, although he dodged jail time by reaching a plea deal earlier this year.
The nefarious web extends further, of course, as Moore's two-season stint at the helm began when he officially took over for Jim Harbaugh, who was in charge of the Wolverines when they were marred by their infamous sign-stealing scheme. That ploy resulted in some casting a perverse shadow over the national ******* le Michigan won during the 2023 season. Even before that saga began, Harbaugh got caught up in recruiting violations at Michigan.
For years, Wolverines players have found themselves in a vacuum of controversy and uncertainty. Whittingham, after a 21-season tenure piloting the Utes, yearns to bring stability to Ann Arbor.
#moore #harbaugh #Athletic
4 months ago
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel's future is "in doubt," according to multiple reports, as the findings from a $12 million investigation into his department are set to be presented.
The Free Press had previously learned from multiple people that higher-ups at Michigan have been briefed on the findings from the investigation run by the law firm of Jenner & Block. More recent reports indicate Manuel's future is in jeopardy, with the decision potentially related to the findings from the investigation.
RELATED: Ex-Sherrone Moore aide sues U-M, says school hiding public records
The investigation began after Sherrone Moore, U-M football coach for two seasons, was fired Dec. 10 for a romantic relationship with ****** istant Paige Shiver, as well as for lying about the relationship when asked about it. A major focus of Jenner & Block's investigation was Manuel, a U-M alumnus hired as AD in 2016, as well as the culture within the department after numerous unrelated scandals during his tenure.
A U-M Board of Regents meeting is set for Thursday, July 16, in Traverse City, but no agenda has been announced.
The Free Press had previously learned from multiple people that higher-ups at Michigan have been briefed on the findings from the investigation run by the law firm of Jenner & Block. More recent reports indicate Manuel's future is in jeopardy, with the decision potentially related to the findings from the investigation.
RELATED: Ex-Sherrone Moore aide sues U-M, says school hiding public records
The investigation began after Sherrone Moore, U-M football coach for two seasons, was fired Dec. 10 for a romantic relationship with ****** istant Paige Shiver, as well as for lying about the relationship when asked about it. A major focus of Jenner & Block's investigation was Manuel, a U-M alumnus hired as AD in 2016, as well as the culture within the department after numerous unrelated scandals during his tenure.
A U-M Board of Regents meeting is set for Thursday, July 16, in Traverse City, but no agenda has been announced.
4 months ago
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel's time in Ann Arbor might be coming to an end. Manuel's future with the school is in doubt in the wake of an internal investigation into the saga around football head coach Sherrone Moore's firing in December, sources told Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger.
Manuel, who was hired as the school's AD in 2016, has overseen a number of recent scandals, but signed a five-year extension in 2024. That extension, which currently runs through 2030, earns him more than $2 million per year; a buyout would require 36 months of severance pay unless a settlement is reached.
An announcement on Manuel's future is expected later this week, with the Michigan Regents set to meet for a board meeting on Thursday.
In December, Moore was arrested by police and fired by Michigan for an "inappropriate relationship" with a staff member. He was later charged with felony home invasion.
Moore's lawyers reached a plea deal in March, with the former coach set to serve no jail time as part of the deal. The staffer, Paige Shiver, told Good Morning America in April that the other coaches knew about their relationship, and that she was tasked with keeping Moore's emotions in check.
Manuel, who was hired as the school's AD in 2016, has overseen a number of recent scandals, but signed a five-year extension in 2024. That extension, which currently runs through 2030, earns him more than $2 million per year; a buyout would require 36 months of severance pay unless a settlement is reached.
An announcement on Manuel's future is expected later this week, with the Michigan Regents set to meet for a board meeting on Thursday.
In December, Moore was arrested by police and fired by Michigan for an "inappropriate relationship" with a staff member. He was later charged with felony home invasion.
Moore's lawyers reached a plea deal in March, with the former coach set to serve no jail time as part of the deal. The staffer, Paige Shiver, told Good Morning America in April that the other coaches knew about their relationship, and that she was tasked with keeping Moore's emotions in check.
4 months ago
The former executive ******* istant of fired Sherrone Moore is suing the University of Michigan, alleging the school violated the state's Freedom of Information Act by refusing to release records related to the investigation that led to the football coach's dismissal.
Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Washtenaw County, seeking the requested records and punitive damages after the university denied multiple public records requests submitted on her behalf.
"It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out," attorney Andrew M. Stroth said.
University spokesperson Paul Corliss declined to comment.
Moore was fired in December after two seasons as Michigan's head coach, following Jim Harbaugh's departure for the NFL.
Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Washtenaw County, seeking the requested records and punitive damages after the university denied multiple public records requests submitted on her behalf.
"It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out," attorney Andrew M. Stroth said.
University spokesperson Paul Corliss declined to comment.
Moore was fired in December after two seasons as Michigan's head coach, following Jim Harbaugh's departure for the NFL.
4 months ago
Michigan basketball wasn't supposed to be in turmoil, and while it can't fully be called that just yet, it is experiencing unexpected sudden change.
Just like in 2024 with football, after Jim Harbaugh won a national championship, he ultimately decided to pursue a pro-coaching career, with then-basketball head coach Juwan Howard being fired. Now, with Sherrone Moore having been fired on the football side, Dusty May has departed the program to coach the Dallas Mavericks, a shocking move not just to the populace but to the players themselves.
In the interim, ***** istant Mike Boynton has been named the interim. The former Oklahoma State head coach didn't have a great record with the Cowboys, but according to The Athletic, he's pitching Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel on removing that interim tag well before a game has even been played.
Interim Michigan coach Mike Boynton is hoping for a ***** le change in the next few days.
When Dusty May left for the Dallas Mavericks on Monday in a move that sent shockwaves across college basketball, Boynton, one of May’s ***** istants the past two seasons, met immediately with athletic director Warde Manuel and was asked to “hold it down” as Manuel figured out next steps. (...)
Just like in 2024 with football, after Jim Harbaugh won a national championship, he ultimately decided to pursue a pro-coaching career, with then-basketball head coach Juwan Howard being fired. Now, with Sherrone Moore having been fired on the football side, Dusty May has departed the program to coach the Dallas Mavericks, a shocking move not just to the populace but to the players themselves.
In the interim, ***** istant Mike Boynton has been named the interim. The former Oklahoma State head coach didn't have a great record with the Cowboys, but according to The Athletic, he's pitching Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel on removing that interim tag well before a game has even been played.
Interim Michigan coach Mike Boynton is hoping for a ***** le change in the next few days.
When Dusty May left for the Dallas Mavericks on Monday in a move that sent shockwaves across college basketball, Boynton, one of May’s ***** istants the past two seasons, met immediately with athletic director Warde Manuel and was asked to “hold it down” as Manuel figured out next steps. (...)
4 months ago
Michigan football should look quite a bit different and the same entering the 2026 season. While the stylistic identity of the Wolverines isn't really changing, as they'll play from the inside out -- with attempts to dominate in the trenches, run the football, and be staunch defensively -- there could be more fireworks from Kyle Whittingham's team compared to Jim Harbaugh or Sherrone Moore's tenures. Thus, it will be interesting to see what the maize and blue get from the skill positions, particularly on offense.
Much of the hopes of the season are pinned on quarterback Bryce Underwood, who had a decent but shaky freshman campaign. Though some are already writing him off, he has a new offensive coordinator in Jason Beck, who has a track record of maximizing his production at the position.
The Athletic detailed its favorite move of the offseason for every Power Four team, and for the maize and blue, it wasn't any transfer or even the head coach who earned a mention -- it was Beck coming to Ann Arbor.
Michigan: Hiring Jason Beck as OC
The Wolverines held onto their top-15 recruiting class, including five-star running back Savion Hiter, during the tumultuous Sherrone Moore situation and ensuing coaching change. That was obviously important, but Beck’s decision to follow Kyle Whittingham to Michigan is a bigger deal. Beck did a very good job last year with QB Devon Dampier at Utah, and I’m betting he’s going to unlock all of Bryce Underwood’s talents.
Much of the hopes of the season are pinned on quarterback Bryce Underwood, who had a decent but shaky freshman campaign. Though some are already writing him off, he has a new offensive coordinator in Jason Beck, who has a track record of maximizing his production at the position.
The Athletic detailed its favorite move of the offseason for every Power Four team, and for the maize and blue, it wasn't any transfer or even the head coach who earned a mention -- it was Beck coming to Ann Arbor.
Michigan: Hiring Jason Beck as OC
The Wolverines held onto their top-15 recruiting class, including five-star running back Savion Hiter, during the tumultuous Sherrone Moore situation and ensuing coaching change. That was obviously important, but Beck’s decision to follow Kyle Whittingham to Michigan is a bigger deal. Beck did a very good job last year with QB Devon Dampier at Utah, and I’m betting he’s going to unlock all of Bryce Underwood’s talents.
