New Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore and six other staffers are facing allegations of NCAA violations, including off-campus scouting.
New Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore and six other staffers are facing allegations of NCAA violations, including off-campus scouting. The allegations stem from an ongoing investigation into a wide-ranging sign-stealing scandal that rocked the program last season.
Moore, who was promoted to head coach in January after Jim Harbaugh left to lead the Los Angeles Chargers, has been accused of deleting text messages with former Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions. Stalions resigned amid accusations of being the primary actor in the sign-stealing that violated NCAA bylaws.
Michigan HC Sherrone Moore Accused of Off-Campus Scouting
The NCAA sent a notice of allegations to Michigan earlier this month, claiming that Moore deleted 52 messages with Stalions in October after reports of the investigation came out.
According to multiple reports, Stalions purchased tickets to games around the country while directing a network of individuals to video-record the sidelines of future Michigan opponents on game days. Stalions reportedly purchased tickets to more than 30 games at 11 different Big Ten schools over the previous three seasons.
Michigan HC Sherrone Moore Accused of Off-Campus Scouting
The scandal resulted in Harbaugh being suspended for the final three games of the 2023 regular season by the Big Ten, in which time Moore served as the interim head coach. Moore also served as interim head coach for the first three games of that season due to a separate violation of NCAA bylaws by the program.
Moore has addressed the allegations, saying that he looks forward to the text messages being released. He has also said that he has and will continue to cooperate with the NCAA in its investigation.
Michigan HC Sherrone Moore Accused of Off-Campus Scouting
Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who was also accused of deleting text messages with Stalions, has denied the allegations.
The NCAA is still investigating the matter, and it is unclear what penalties Michigan could face. However, the allegations have already cast a shadow over Moore's first season as head coach.
In addition to Moore and Minter, six other Michigan staffers have been accused of off-campus scouting. They include:
* Connor Stalions, former analytics assistant
* Jordan Seydel, former director of player personnel
* Chris Partridge, former defensive coordinator
* Jay Harbaugh, former special teams coordinator
* Matt Weiss, former offensive coordinator
* Sharrief Shah, former running backs coach
These allegations come at a difficult time for Michigan, which is preparing for its first season in an expanded Big Ten conference that will include its former title game opponent, Washington, and a handful of other former PAC-12 schools.
Michigan is scheduled to open the season on September 2 against East Carolina.
