Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore will serve a self-imposed two-game suspension by the university next season, as part of the advanced sign-stealing scandal from 2023, according to ESPN.
Moore will miss Week 3-4 of the college football season against Central Michigan and Nebraska and will be unable to participate in team activities in the week’s leadup to the game. The suspension being for Weeks 3 and 4 allows him to coach the Wolverines’ season opener against New Mexico, before traveling for one of the top nonconference matchups of 2025 when they face Oklahoma on the road in Week 2.
The second-year head coach will also receive additional recruiting penalties, according to the report. The NCAA could still issue more punishments, however, and a final resolution of the matter is expected before the end of the season.
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Moore was the offensive coordinator at Michigan under then-head coach Jim Harbaugh in 2023 when allegations of illegal scouting led by Connor Stalions arose. Stalions, who’s no longer with the program and then served in a support staff role, received video from friends and family of opponents’ signs during games.
Moore allegedly deleted 52 text messages with Stalions at the time of the uncovering, which notes his tie to the sign-stealing scandal. In a 2024 Notice of Allegations from the NCAA, Michigan received 11 violations, six of those being the highest levied by the NCAA at Level 1.
ESPN reported the texts were discovered from “device imaging” and Moore subsequently “produced them to enforcement staff.” He is accused of a Level 2 violation, according to the report.
Harbaugh served a three-game suspension in 2023, the year Michigan won the national championship, as part of the sign-steal scandal. He was able to coach in practice before the games, however, whereas Moore can’t.
Moore served a one-game suspension as part of separate NCAA violations in Michigan’s 2023 season opener against East Carolina. He also served as interim head coach in 2023 during Harbaugh’s suspension, leading the Wolverines to wins over Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State.
Moore will still have the chance to coach against his alma mater, Oklahoma, in Norman next season, despite the suspension.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sherrone Moore suspension: Michigan coach to sit 2 games in 2025
