The University of Michigan’s athletic department, long celebrated for its storied traditions and championship pedigree, now finds itself mired in a series of scandals that have rocked the institution to its very core. In the past three years, the department has faced a dizzying array of controversies, culminating most recently in the firing of head football coach Sherrone Moore and the subsequent launch of a sweeping, independent investigation into the department’s culture and oversight.
Moore, who had only recently taken over as Michigan’s head football coach following Jim Harbaugh’s departure to the NFL, was dismissed on December 11, 2025, for maintaining an inappropriate relationship with a staff member—a violation of university policy that requires supervisors to disclose such relationships. The fallout, however, did not end there. Just hours after his firing, Moore was detained by police and charged with felony home invasion, stalking, and breaking and entering or entering without breaking. According to prosecutors, Moore allegedly broke into the staff member’s residence, grabbed butter knives and kitchen scissors, and threatened to take his own life, blaming the staffer for having “ruined” his life. The woman, who had ended their relationship only two days earlier, had reported the affair to university officials on the day of Moore’s dismissal.
Moore, a 39-year-old married father of three, was released on bond and is scheduled for a probable cause hearing in January 2026. The seriousness of the charges and the circumstances surrounding his firing have intensified scrutiny of Michigan’s athletic department and its leadership, particularly athletic director Warde Manuel, who has overseen the department since 2016.
Michigan responded by hiring Jenner & Block, a prominent Washington, D.C.-based law firm, to conduct an independent investigation not just into Moore’s conduct, but also the department’s broader handling of personnel issues and compliance. The university’s interim president, Domenico Grasso, emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, writing to the Michigan community, “All of the facts here must be known, so the University’s investigation will continue. I encourage anyone with information about this matter to confidentially contact [email protected].”
This latest scandal is far from an isolated incident. Over the past three years, Michigan’s athletic department has been at the center of repeated controversies. In 2022, men’s ice hockey coach Mel Pearson’s contract was not renewed after an external investigation revealed a toxic environment, including allegations that Pearson pressured players to lie on Covid-19 contact tracing forms and verbally assaulted female staff members. The decision to part ways with Pearson came after a damning survey and report, but the school stopped short of firing him outright, a move that drew criticism from both inside and outside the university.
The men’s basketball program has also faced turbulence. Juwan Howard, a member of Michigan’s legendary Fab Five and the men’s basketball coach, was suspended for five games in 2022 after hitting a Wisconsin assistant coach during a postgame handshake. Despite being placed under a zero-tolerance policy, Howard was involved in another altercation in December 2023 with strength coach Jon Sanderson, who later resigned. Howard, who had recently returned from heart surgery, was not punished for the incident but was ultimately fired after the team finished with an 8-24 record in 2024.
Football, Michigan’s flagship sport, has not been spared. Former co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss was fired in January 2023 and later indicted on over 20 federal charges for hacking into the accounts of thousands of college athletes and students, primarily to steal intimate photos. Weiss, who had previously worked with the Baltimore Ravens, allegedly continued his hacking activities while at Michigan. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Meanwhile, Jim Harbaugh, the high-profile head football coach who led the Wolverines to a national championship in 2023, was repeatedly benched—first through a three-game self-imposed suspension for recruiting violations, then for three games by the Big Ten for his role in a sign-stealing scandal involving staffer Connor Stalions. In August 2024, Harbaugh was suspended for a year and given a four-year show-cause penalty by the NCAA for recruiting violations. The following year, he received a 10-year show-cause penalty, which, while not affecting his current NFL employment, resulted in Michigan being fined all postseason revenue from the 2025 and 2026 football seasons and placed on four years’ probation. The university’s response to these scandals has ranged from denial to slow action, often drawing criticism for prioritizing the “Michigan brand” over transparency and accountability.
The notion of the “Michigan Man”—a term meant to capture the ideal of integrity, loyalty, and excellence—has come under fire as these scandals have unfolded. Many of the coaches at the heart of these controversies, including Pearson, Howard, Harbaugh, and Moore, were considered “Michigan Men,” either as former players or long-serving staff. Athletic director Warde Manuel himself fits the mold, having played football under legendary coach Bo Schembechler. But as one former employee told CNN, “They are beyond zealots, beyond, about protecting the Michigan brand. Beyond it. It’s been so damn big for so long, and it permeates the whole place.”
The department’s handling of Moore’s firing has raised further questions. According to sources, Manuel dismissed Moore without the presence of human resources personnel—a standard practice at most organizations, especially given Moore’s known mental health issues. This omission has led to concerns about the department’s procedures and the well-being of its staff during contentious personnel matters. The university’s board of regents reportedly held a call to discuss Manuel’s future, though he remains in his position as of now.
Moore’s relationship with the staff member was reportedly an “open secret” for two years, yet both parties initially denied it, and the university’s initial investigation went nowhere. According to Michigan’s Standard Practice Guide Policies, supervisors are required to disclose intimate relationships with subordinates. Failure to do so can result in sanctions, including dismissal. The woman’s report on December 11 triggered Moore’s firing, but the subsequent events—his arrest, the charges, and the public spectacle—have thrown the department into the national spotlight.
As the investigation by Jenner & Block continues, the university faces mounting pressure to address not just the latest incident, but the broader culture that has allowed such issues to fester. The “Michigan Man” mythology, once a point of pride, now stands as a symbol of a department in need of serious introspection and reform. Whether the university can restore trust and rebuild its reputation remains an open question, but one thing is certain: the eyes of the sports world will remain fixed on Ann Arbor as the story unfolds.
With hearings and investigations still ongoing, the Michigan athletic department stands at a crossroads, forced to confront its recent past and chart a new course for the future—one that will require more than just slogans and tradition to regain the confidence of its community and fans.
