In January, following the departure of Jim Harbaugh for the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers, Sherrone Moore was named the next head coach of the Michigan football program. The contract was reported at the time as a five-year, $30 million deal, although Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel revealed last week that Moore was not actually under contract.
Despite the announcement in January, the two sides had signed a 90-day memorandum of understanding that eventually expired, leaving Moore, who served as interim coach for several games last season during two separate suspensions for Harbaugh, without an official deal. Things have been all cleared up now, however.
Michigan announced today that it and Moore had “completed” the contract, which has now been “signed by all parties.”
Sherrone Moore tasked with tough Michigan football job
Despite taking over a team that won a national championship eight months ago, Sherrone Moore's job will be anything but easy as the head of the Michigan football program.
In addition to the loss of numerous members of the coaching staff — Jim Harbaugh took several coaches with him when he took the Los Angeles Chargers job — Michigan saw starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, starting running back Blake Corum, star wide receiver Roman Wilson, and numerous impact players on both sides of the ball leave the program for the NFL.
This has left Moore, in his first head coaching job, to pick up the pieces of a program that needs some time to regroup. Unfortunately for him, as the defending national champions and with the expanded College Football Playoff this year, he will be expected to compete immediately, even if the Wolverines haven't quite figured out who is the best option to play at quarterback.
Before and during a 31-12 home loss to Texas this past weekend, starter Davis Warren struggled. Against Fresno State in the opener, Warren went 15-for-25 for 118 yards and a touchdown and interception. Things didn't improve much against the Longhorns, who picked Warren off twice as the quarterback threw for 204 yards and a touchdown. Alex Orji, who lost the preseason position battle to Warren, has made appearances in both games so far this season, but he has only thrown the ball twice, both of those attempts coming against Fresno State.
Michigan very likely will use this week's matchup vs. Arkansas State as a rebound of sorts before beginning Big Ten Conference play against USC, which is currently ranked No. 11 in the country. The Wolverines will host the Trojans and then Minnesota before visiting Washington in a rematch of the most recent national title game.
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