Without much wait, the Michigan football program officially named Sherrone Moore to be their next head coach after Jim Harbaugh's departure.
The Wolverines confirmed the designation on Friday, just couple of days after Harbaugh decided to return to the NFL and take over the Los Angeles Chargers. Michigan's X account (formerly Twitter) also shared a video of Moore checking the team's announcement and saying, “Go Blue!”
In a statement released after the official announcement, Sherrone Moore made sure to share his appreciation for Jim Harbaugh for supporting him and trusting him throughout their years of partnership. Moore has been with Michigan football since 2018, starting as a tight ends coach before working his way up. He was the team's offensive coordinator and offensive lines coach in 2023.
“I want to thank Coach Harbaugh for the faith that he has displayed in me over the past six years and for supporting my growth as a football coach during that time. Thanks to Athletic Director Warde Manuel for putting his faith and trust in me to be the next leader of this football program. I also want to thank President Santa Ono and members of the Board of Regents for believing in me as well. I am excited to reward that belief and trust as the program’s next leader,” Moore shared, via The Athletic.
For what it's worth, it's not really a surprise that Moore is taking over as the head coach of the reigning national champions. He did act as head coach of the Wolverines when Harbaugh was suspended in parts of the 2023 campaign, leading the team to a 4-0 record in that span– a stretch that included victories against Ohio State and Penn State.
While there were other names mentioned as potential Harbaugh replacements, Moore has always been the frontrunner. More recently, a report came out suggesting that Michigan football would officially name Moore as head coach sooner rather than later. And sure enough, they did.
It remains to be seen how elevating Moore will influence the decision of the Wolverines players when it comes to their respective futures with the team. Nonetheless, it's definitely good that Michigan quickly acted in transitioning to Moore in order to bring some stability and lessen the uncertainty surrounding the team.