![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="439" width="780" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore broke his silence on the ongoing NCAA investigation which has created added scrutiny about his own potential involvement in the sign-stealing scandal. ESPN’s Dan Murphy and Pete Thamel reported that Moore is in danger of a show-cause penalty from the NCAA after potentially deleting 52 text messages to ex-Michigan staffer Connor Stalions.
During an August 13, 2024 press conference, Moore gave his first public comments since ESPN linked Moore directly to the investigation. Moore offered a prepared statement before adding “I’ll just say this” then admitting he wants the text messages to be released.
“I look forward to them being released,” Moore remarked.
As for his prepared statement, Moore emphasized that it is an ongoing investigation and could not go into details about the report.
“Really the statement is, we’re cooperating with NCAA fully,” Moore noted. “[We] have in the past, will in the future. We’ll continue to do that. So, really right now, it’s an ongoing case, and we need to preserve the confidentiality of the preceding.”
Michigan Coach Sherrone Moore Linked to Deleted Text Messages With Ex-Wolverines Staffer Connor Stalions
Stalions began his work with the Michigan program as a volunteer assistant before officially joining the staff as an analyst in May 2022. The former Michigan staffer ultimately re-signed in November 2023.
ESPN reported that the NCAA draft to Michigan included evidence that Stalions indeed pretended to be a Central Michigan coach, working his way onto the sideline as a viral video showed.
Moore would have been Michigan’s offensive coordinator at the time of the text messages to Stalions. Jim Harbaugh was previously the Michigan head coach before returning to the NFL this offseason to become the Los Angeles Chargers coach.
“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, 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,” the ESPN insiders detailed.
Former Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh Will Not Serve as an Honorary Captain
One of the other notable tidbits from Moore’s press conference was the coach’s revelation that Harbaugh will no longer serve as an honorary captain during Michigan’s Week 1 matchup versus Fresno State.
“Yesterday he called me and told me that [he] didn’t feel that he could leave his team [Chargers],” Moore explained. “In true Coach Harbaugh fashion and wanted to be in the foxhole with his team and not want to make it look like he was going to take a deep long bow.
“So, he’s not going to make it for the game. But we’re going to have some of our guys that are there. And then, Jack and Jackie Harbaugh [Jim Harbaugh’s parents] are going to take his place. So, super excited about that.”
0 Comments