sherrone moore
[Patrick Barron]

Sherrone Moore Hired As Michigan Head Football Coach Comment Count

Alex.Drain January 26th, 2024 at 7:44 PM

In the least surprising move of all time, Michigan Football has officially named the successor to Jim Harbaugh: 

Moore, a native of Derby, Kansas, played college football as a guard at Oklahoma University after a stint at Butler Community College. He graduated from OU in 2008 and joined Louisville in 2009 as a graduate assistant for the football team. Moore stayed at Louisville into the tenure of Charlie Strong, being elevated to tight ends coach in 2012. Strong's 2012 and 2013 teams were highly successful but Strong took a promotion to Texas after that, which is when Moore made his move to the State of Michigan. Moore joined Central Michigan's staff in 2014 as tight ends coach under Dan Enos and he would be retained by head coach John Bonamego, who took over for the departed Enos in 2015. Moore was eventually elevated to Assistant Head Coach in 2017, when the Chips went 8-5. 

Jim Harbaugh hired Moore in the 2017-18 offseason, when he was reshuffling the offensive staff after the firing of Tim Drevno and Greg Frey. Ed Warriner took over the OL duties, which Drevno/Frey shared, while Moore took over tight ends, which was Frey's sole domain on the 2017 team. Moore stayed on Michigan's staff through the disastrous 2020 season as TE coach, before shifting to OL in 2021 after Warinner was not retained. During his three seasons as OL coach, Moore's offensive lines won the Joe Moore Award for the nation's best OL twice. Moore shared offensive coordinator duties in 2021 with Josh Gattis and 2022 with Matt Weiss. After Weiss' mysterious firing under a shroud of scandal, Moore was given sole OC duties for the 2023 season, in addition to OL responsibilities. 

Harbaugh's dual suspensions in 2023 allowed Moore to see his stature within the program grow. He was the interim head coach for the Bowling Green game in September and then was chosen over Mike Hart, Jesse Minter, and Jay Harbaugh to be the team's interim coach for the crucial three game stretch in November when Jim Harbaugh was suspended for the SignGate scandal. Moore went 4-0 in his games as interim head coach, delivering wins over ranked PSU and OSU, which served as his audition for the job. The passionate Moore passed with flying colors in leading the Maize & Blue to victories and at age 37, he seemed to be the obvious long term answer for the program when Harbaugh departed. 

Anecdotal reporting from insiders had suggested that Michigan was notifying recruits for some time that Moore was the coach in waiting should Harbaugh ever not be around. With Harbaugh taking the job with the LA Chargers, all eyes turned to Moore. It didn't take long, as there was broad consensus among fellow coaches and players that Moore was the guy for the gig. He has been an integral part of Michigan's 2020s football turnaround as a culture builder and has proven himself to be one of the staff's best recruiters. Whether that can pay dividends on the recruiting trail remains to be seen, but there is certainly upside in hiring a young, charismatic coach. 

Moore's contract is reported to be five years, $5.5 M per season and he is the first Black (full-time) Head Coach in University of Michigan Football history. The first order of business for Moore will be filling out the rest of his staff, as there is already a vacancy at LB coach due to the fired Chris Partridge, and ones will likely be opening at DC (Jesse Minter presumed to go to LA), special teams (ditto for Jay Harbaugh), OL (himself), and OC (also himself). There have also been rumblings about a possible Mike Hart departure at RB coach, so stay tuned on that front. Hiring quality assistant coaches is a vital part of the responsibility of being a successful head coach in modern football and thus, the hiring Moore does in the near future will be fascinating to watch. 

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Comments

zh2oson

January 26th, 2024 at 7:47 PM ^

I'll wait to celebrate until I've heard a definitive confirmation from Brian Kelly's agent. 

Colin Cowherd was pretty sure Kelly was the answer for UM. 

Joined: 06/30/2011

MGoPoints: 4836

stephenrjking

January 26th, 2024 at 7:50 PM ^

The right move. Congratulations to coach Moore.

This was telegraphed a year ago or more; Harbaugh all but said this was the plan last year. The unexpected suspensions served to give him time to get his feet wet… and then scorching hot as he was dropped into the deep end on the plane flight to State College and called upon to skip the team in perhaps the biggest Michigan-Ohio State game ever.

He passed with flying colors, and Michigan’s national title does not happen without his steady hand at the controls.

One can rightly say that there are questions to answer, risks that come with elevating a man with no full-time experience as a head coach to a role at one of the elite programs in the nation. And it’s true: there are risks. But they are risks worth taking, and Moore is a man with whom they are worth taking.

Good luck, coach. May the new era that this day dawns be a great one. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143860

shoes

January 26th, 2024 at 7:51 PM ^

I'm optimistic. Can't project 2024 till we see the staff and figure out the QB (which may not be known till spring portal). To the extent he is a risk, it is a risk worth taking because of all the factors people have been citing. Has performed at a high level, good recruiter and has shown leadership qualities.

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 9515

PopeLando

January 26th, 2024 at 9:09 PM ^

I heard many a Michigan State fan whine about “affirmative action” when Harlon Barnett was named as the interim head coach at MSU. You just cannot win with some people.

For the record, Barnett is departing MSU and I hope he’s a hot commodity to land a premium gig. The fact that he held Sparty together and delivered a “bad but not that bad” season was a masterpiece of leadership. And he did so with Dantonio looking over his shoulder, no doubt whispering “just coach them to be angry and violent”

Joined: 08/01/2015

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Kevin14

January 27th, 2024 at 9:46 AM ^

Curious why you say that about Barnett.  MSU was 2-8 under him.  It couldn't have been much worse.  

He was also the DB coach from 20-23, overseeing some of the consistently worst secondaries in the country. 

I didn't follow them too closely last year, but he seems like a good enough dude.  But has he shown that he's even a decent coach? 

Joined: 03/07/2017

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PopeLando

January 27th, 2024 at 11:47 AM ^

It could have been way worse. The fact that they won two games is better than expectations, and their defense finished the year shockingly competent.

He also - and this is the biggest thing - avoided the kinds of Spartying that his predecessors would have leaned into. His teams were bad, but they were disciplined and classy. They resisted the urge to Dantonio it up, when Dantonio was literally right there.

I don’t know if he’s the best available DB coach. I think he’s one of the best available *leaders*

Joined: 08/01/2015

MGoPoints: 68293

Weird Harold

January 27th, 2024 at 12:00 AM ^

Hadn't heard this before and had to see it for myself so looked up Rico and Sherrone so got to watch him say it.  What an absolute douche bag.

How in the world can 97.1 keep those two michigan hating fuckheads on the air in this market?!?  Personally I've stopped listening to them because it pisses me off so much when Valente is so totally disrespectful to the school, players and fans.  It's one thing to get that on a blog (totally fine), but another on the air.  I really think we should all stop listening to their shit.  Maybe that would force a change.

Joined: 06/06/2023

MGoPoints: 167

AlbanyBlue

January 27th, 2024 at 11:36 AM ^

If you think Valenti and Rico are bad, don't listen to Brian Chapman, late nights on the weekend. He hates everything about every pro sports team here and also U of M. He must be on the radio just to get everyone fired up, but I don't even bother. 

Put it this way, right now he's even coming up with reasons why the Lions suck.

Joined: 09/11/2010

MGoPoints: 22040

Tapin

January 26th, 2024 at 7:55 PM ^

So the question we all need to be asking is: What does Jim Stapleton think of the hire?

(...kidding, but unfortunately maybe not kidding?)

Joined: 11/05/2008

MGoPoints: 594

reshp1

January 26th, 2024 at 8:05 PM ^

Good, good. Let's retain as much of the staff as we can. Hopefully with the HC position no longer in doubt, we can kick recruiting up a notch. 

Joined: 10/31/2011

MGoPoints: 34177

MJ14

January 26th, 2024 at 11:00 PM ^

What did Partridge do this time around that makes you really want to bring him back? Especially after he interfered with an investigation and got more negative media for Michigan? Hiring him a third time would cause so much negativity for Michigan it would be miserable. And he’s not some great coach or recruiter. It’s insane the way people view him here. 

Joined: 01/09/2011

MGoPoints: 16412