The Michigan Wolverines could be in even more hot water with new head coach Sherrone Moore now being linked to an ongoing NCAA investigation.
ESPN’s Dan Murphy and Pete Thamel reported that Moore is being suspected of deleting a thread containing 52 text messages between him and ex-Wolverines staff member Connor Stalions, who is at the center of the sign-stealing investigation.
“New Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore is one of seven members from the 2023 football program accused of violating NCAA rules in a draft of the NCAA’s notice of allegations obtained by ESPN,” Murphy and Thamel wrote in an August 4, 2024, story titled “Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore violated NCAA rules, NOA draft says.”
“The draft, which could be subject to change, states Moore could face a show-cause penalty and possibly a suspension for allegedly deleting a thread of 52 text messages with former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions in October 2023 on the same day that media reports revealed Stalions was leading an effort to capture the playcalling signals of future opponents,” Murphy and Thamel wrote.
“The draft states that the texts were later recovered via ‘device imaging’ and Moore ‘subsequently produced them to enforcement staff.’ Moore is accused of committing a Level 2 violation, according to the draft,” they wrote.
Stalions resigned from the Michigan staff in November 2023, when Moore was an assistant coach for the Wolverines. Former head coach Jim Harbaugh, who is also part of the investigation, left the program in early 2024 to take over the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers.
The NCAA’s draft also includes an allegation that Stalions, in Michigan’s season opener against Central Michigan, obtained a CMU bench pass, wore “Central Michigan coaching gear” and wore a disguise on the team’s sidelines, according to ESPN’s story.
Could Michigan Head Coach Sherrone Moore Face a Suspension?
If Moore did indeed delete his exchanges with Stalions, Moore’s potential discipline could include a suspension, according to a CBS Sports report.
“Among the possible penalties for Moore are a show-cause and one-game suspension since he would be considered a ‘repeat violator’ due to a separate investigation, settled in April, for recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period,” CBS Sports’ David Cobb noted in an August 5, story, “Michigan’s Sherrone Moore could face suspension, show-cause penalty from NCAA in sign-stealing investigation.” “That case resulted in three years probation, fines and recruiting restrictions, as well as one-year show-cause for the five coaches involved.
“However, these potential penalties for Moore could be subject to change as the NOA draft could change significantly between now and its formal release.”
Who Will Win the Michigan Starting Quarterback Job?
On the field, Michigan already had plenty of questions as the program begins its national title defense. One of the major questions is who will start at quarterback.
Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle and Jadyn Davis are among the signal-callers that are competing for the starting gig. Orji is a familiar face as Michigan used the quarterback’s rushing threat for certain packages in 2023.
Tuttle is entering his seventh year of eligibility, but Moore has emphasized throughout the offseason that the veteran will have an opportunity to win the job.
“He’ll be in it,” Moore said of Tuttle in April, per the Associated Press’ Eric Olson. “We talked about this as a team, as a staff — the dudes that he backed up are Michael Penix (at Indiana) and J.J. McCarthy. So he’s got talent and we’ll see what happens when he gets in fall camp.”
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Michigan Football’s Sherrone Moore in Hot Water for 52 Deleted Texts: Report