Sherrone Moore in hot water over Michigan football sign-stealing scandal

Sherrone Moore is the latest Michigan football staffer to be drawn 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 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.

Moore is one of seven staffers 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 not 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.

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.)

TRENDING:Sherrone Moore's image is tarnished before start of Michigan football head coaching tenure

Harbaugh, Chris Partridge, Denard Robinson and Stalions — the latter three each leaving in disgrace due to firing or resignation — 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, both now with the Chargers, of recruiting violations unrelated to Stalions' scheme. Partridge, now a Seattle Seahawks defensive assistant, also earned several Level II violations.

Harbaugh is accused of once again failing to cooperate due to denying NCAA requests to look through messages and phone records from his personal phone related to the case, which could put him under a show-cause restriction if he were to return to the college game. The NOA draft did not provide "any evidence that Harbaugh was involved in Stalions' operation or that he knew it was going on," ESPN wrote, but did stipulate Harbaugh failed to actively search for or evaluate "red flags."

It also alleges multiple Michigan football interns and at least one full-time program employee knew about the scheme and participated, though according to ESPN, it says Stalions misled each individual into believing their acts were not against NCAA rules.

Stalions resigned in November after reportedly refusing to cooperate with any investigations or discussions. He had been suspended with pay for two weeks to that point, after the NCAA launched an investigation into his alleged ticket purchases at 11 Big Ten stadiums ahead of those teams' games against the Wolverines over the past three seasons.

[ Order now: Celebrate Michigan's national title with Free Press commemorative books: "Blue Reign" and "Maize & Grand" and check out special wall art from our front page from the morning after the championship. ]

The NCAA's draft also confirmed there is evidence Stalions dressed in Central Michigan coaching gear in disguise, and roamed the sideline during its season-opening game at Michigan State in 2023 at Spartan Stadium. It does not say how he got a pass for CMU's sideline, but states this "seriously undermined or threatened the integrity of the NCAA collegiate model," according to ESPN.

The Chippewas last week reportedly fired quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner, who was previously a student assistant with Michigan for four seasons, overlapping with Stalions.

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.

MYSTERY MAN:Connor Stalions’ drive unlocked his Michigan dream — and a sign-stealing scandal

Harbaugh was suspended for the final three games of the 2023 season by the Big Ten after he and the program dropped a court case. Michigan also fired Partridge, the linebackers coach, in November. The draft says he is accused of pressuring a Michigan player to lie and/or mislead investigators during the Stalions probe to protect the Wolverines coaching staff.

The bad press has only continued after Michigan's 15-0 season: Robinson and new defensive line coach Greg Scruggs both lost their jobs in the offseason after separate arrests for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.  

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