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Sherrone Moore in hot water over Michigan football sign-stealing scandal
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- Sherrone Moore in hot water over Michigan football sign-stealing scandal
Sherrone Moore is the latest Michigan football staffer to be sucked into the program's sign-stealing scandal . And he might be the next coach to face discipline from the NCAA for his role.
Moore could face a potential suspension and show-cause penalty for allegedly deleting 52 text messages with former Wolverines analyst Connor Stalions , a Level II violation — on the same day in October media reports indicated Stalions was the man behind an illegal off-field sign-stealing operation .
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Moore is one of seven members from Michigan's 2023 national championship team accused of violating NCAA rules, according to a draft of the NCAA's Notice of Allegations (NOA). ESPN obtained the draft, which is subject to change.
"Our athletic department and university continue to cooperate with the NCAA regarding our on-going investigation," Michigan spokesman Dave Ablauf told the Free Press on Sunday when reached for comment. "We do no have an update to share regarding its status at this time."
The university received the long-awaited NOA draft last week. A source with intimate knowledge of the situation said Sunday the university will continue to let the NCAA's investigation play out before taking action. The source was granted anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Moore was Michigan's offensive coordinator last season, served as gameday head coach for four games, and was named the new coach two days after his boss Jim Harbaugh jumped to the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers in January .
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Moore's deleted texts were later recovered through a "device imaging" and he "subsequently produced them to enforcement staff," according to the NOA draft ESPN received. Moore is also seen as a potential repeat offender by the NCAA. He was suspended for last year's regular-season opener by the school for his role in contacting recruits during a COVID-19 recruiting dead period. (Harbaugh received a three-game suspension, and that NOA became public last week .)
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Harbaugh, Chris Partridge, Denard Robinson and Stalions — the latter three each leaving in disgrace due to firing or resigning — are accused of Level I violations, the NCAA's most serious category in the enforcement process. The draft also accuses ex-defensive coaches Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale of recruiting violations unrelated to Stalions' scheme.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches warm up during the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 20, 2024.
Stalions resigned in November after reportedly refusing to cooperate with any investigations or discussions. He had been suspended without pay for two weeks, after the NCAA launched an investigation into his alleged ticket purchases at several Big Ten stadiums ahead of those teams' games against the Wolverines over the past three seasons.
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Stalions is also under investigation for allegedly dressing in Central Michigan gear in disguise, and roaming the sideline during its season-opening game at Michigan State in 2023 at Spartan Stadium. CMU last week reportedly fired quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner , who was previously a student assistant with Michigan for four seasons, overlapping with Stalions.
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Stalions, hired in May 2022 after volunteering for several seasons , is set to share his side of the scandal on Netflix , debuting Aug. 27 on an episode of "Untold." He is a retired captain from the U.S. Marine Corps and graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He graduated from Lake Orion High School in 2013, and both of his parents graduated from U-M.
Harbaugh was suspended for the final three games of the season by the Big Ten after he and the program dropped a court case. Michigan also fired Partridge, the linebackers coach , in November for allegedly participating in an effort to destroy evidence after the sign-stealing scandal became public.
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The bad press has only continued after Michigan's 15-0 season: New defensive line coach Greg Scruggs and Robinson both lost their jobs in the offseason after separate arrests from operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sherrone Moore might get punished in Michigan sign-stealing scandal
