Former Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore was jailed overnight Wednesday by local police on suspicion of assault following his stunning dismissal by the university for an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member."
The 39-year-old Moore, who has been married to wife Kelli since 2015 and is a father of three daughters, was held in the Washtenaw County Jail after being arrested by Pittsfield Township police just after 4 p.m. — shortly before Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announced his termination.
No charges had been filed as of Thursday morning.
Former Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore, who has been married since 2015, was jailed on suspicion of assault following his dismissal by the university for an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member." Sherrone Moore / Instagram
Sherrone Moore with his wife, Kelli. Kelli Lenz Moore / Facebook
Manuel's statement cited "credible evidence" of the entanglement between Moore and the staffer, who has not been identified publicly.
John U. Bacon, an instructor at the university who has written six books about the Maize and Blue's legendary football program, posted on X late Wednesday that Moore's paramour had given university leaders "irrefutable documentation" earlier that day detailing the fired coach's conduct.
"The president and regents had seen enough, and Manuel fired him this afternoon," said Bacon, who added that Moore was under a mental health watch following his arrest.
Sherrone Moore leads his Michigan team off the field after warm-ups before the game in their blowout road win over Maryland on Nov. 22, 2025. Getty Images
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announced his termination due to "credible evidence" of the entanglement between Moore and the staffer. Kelli Lenz Moore / Facebook
Associate head coach Biff Poggi was named interim boss of the 18th-ranked Wolverines, who play Texas in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve.
Wednesday's developments, unprecedented in the 146-year history of Michigan football , were set to restart the college football coaching carousel following midseason firings of head coaches at Virgina Tech, Penn State, LSU and Florida.
Despite the suddenness of Michigan's announcement, ESPN college football analyst Josh Pate claimed that speculation about Moore's future had been swirling for "weeks and weeks."
Michigan's Sherrone Moore celebrates with fans after defeating Ohio State at Michigan Stadium on Nov. 25, 2023. Getty Images
"When they lost against USC [Oct. 11], clock was ticking, this was already bubbling behind the scenes by then," Pate said on his "Josh Pate's College Football Show" YouTube channel .
"This is one of those really interesting dynamics where there was a wild rumor circulating behind the scenes, and it was accurate," he added. "This is what myself and several other people had heard a month ago … Let me put it this way: Agents [for potential coaching candidates] have expected the Michigan job to be coming open for several weeks now. That's been expected behind the scenes."
CBS Sports reported that donors to the program had become aware of the allegations against Moore recently and had started to tighten the purse strings on contributions.
Sherrone Moore with his wife, Kelli. Sherrone Moore / Instagram
News of the university's inquiry started to spread over the past few days and led to growing concerns among Michigan football staffers over their futures, with one telling the outlet, "It's hard to ignore."
Moore, a former offensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma who held coaching positions at Louisville and Central Michigan before arriving in Ann Arbor prior to the 2018 season, will depart Michigan as its shortest-tenured head coach in 97 years, with a record of 16-8.
Moore had taken over in January 2024 after Jim Harbaugh led the Wolverines to a national championship and then departed for the NFL to become head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers .
Moore on the sidelines before the Michigan-Ohio State game in Ann Arbor on Nov. 29, 2025. Jeff Kowalsky/ZUMA / SplashNews.com
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore reacts on the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Washington. AP
The Wolverines went 9-3 this season and ended the 2025 campaign with a 27-9 home loss to archrival Ohio State, which now will stand as Moore's final game as head coach of the program.
Moore was acting head coach for the final three Wolverines games of 2023 while Harbaugh served out a sideline ban related to the sign-stealing scandal that rocked college football that year.
Moore guided Michigan to wins over Penn State, Maryland and OSU as part of the team's undefeated championship season.
Moore had also served as interim head coach for one game earlier in the 2023 campaign as Harbaugh served a suspension related to recruiting violations.
