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Who is coaching Michigan? Biff Poggi takes over for Sherrone Moore after suspension
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- Who is coaching Michigan? Biff Poggi takes over for Sherrone Moore after suspension
Michigan football finds itself with a prime opportunity to get back on track in Week 3 after sustaining its first setback of the season.
Sherrone Moore will not be a part of it, though.
It will instead be Biff Poggi coaching the No. 22-ranked Wolverines come noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 13 against Central Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan . Moore will be out for the first of a two-game suspension imposed by the Wolverines for his involvement in the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal.
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If this sounds like déjà vu, it isn't.
The Wolverines have been without their head coach due to a suspension before — and recently. In 2023, the Big Ten suspended former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season for violating the league's sportsmanship policy for the sign-stealing case.
Moore, then the Wolverines' offensive coordinator, served as one of several Michigan staffers to coach the Wolverines in Harbaugh's three-game absence two years ago. It's now associate coach Biff Poggi taking those reigns over for Moore as he watches his program compete from the comfort of his home.
Here's what to know about the Wolverines' interim head coach in Week 3:
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Who is coaching Michigan in Week 3 vs Central Michigan ?
With Moore suspended in Week 3, associate head coach Biff Poggi will serve as Michigan's interim head coach for the Wolverines vs. Central Michigan.
Moore made the official announcement that Poggi will take over head coaching duties on Sept. 8 at his Week 3 news conference.
Who is Biff Poggi?
Poggi, a longtime football coaching journeyman, is listed as the associate head coach on Moore's coaching staff , a position that he is in his first season of.
The 65-year-old is in his third coaching stint at Michigan, as he served an analyst for the Wolverines in 2016 and then as an associate head coach from 2021-22.
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He does have experience leading a Division I FBS program, perhaps a factor into Moore's decision to name him as Michigan interim head coach during his suspension. Poggi served as the head coach at Charlotte from 2023-2024. In those two seasons, the 49ers struggled under Poggi as they went 6-16 overall (4-10 in American Conference play), which ultimately led to his firing last season.
Poggi also has a reputation as a well-respected, successful high school football coach as he built both Baltimore-based Gilman School and St. Frances Academy into national powerhouses.
He returned to Michigan after three seasons at St. Frances Academy in 2020 to be on Jim Harbaugh's staff. During his second stint on Harbaugh's staff, Poggi was credited as a key part of Michigan's turnaround and success, as the Wolverines made back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff while winning back-to-back Big Ten Championships.
Why is Biff Poggi coaching Michigan? Where is Sherrone Moore?
Poggi is coaching Michigan in Week 3 as Moore is serving the start of a two-game, self-imposed suspension from the Wolverines for his involvement in the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal during the 2023 season when he was the offensive coordinator in Ann Arbor.
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In addition to being suspended vs Central Michigan, Moore is suspended by Michigan in Week 4 for its Big Ten opener against Nebraska . It is unknown if Poggi will be coaching both weeks of Moore's suspension or if the Wolverines will follow what they did in 2023 when they rotated coaches during Harbaugh's suspension.
The NCAA found in its investigation that Moore, in fact, deleted 52 text messages with Stalions on his personal phone, and deleted an additional text message sent from his work phone to another Michigan staff member that referenced Stalions.
"I am glad that this part of the process has been completed," Moore said in a statement after the NCAA's report was released. "I greatly respect the rules governing collegiate athletics and it is my intent to have our program comply with those rules at all times. I will continue to focus my attention on our team and the upcoming 2025 season."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is coaching Michigan football vs Central Michigan? What to know
