‘I love this place’: Sherrone Moore, 37, introduced as Michigan’s head football coach

Moore is the first Black head coach in Michigan football history, and, at 37, he is the youngest head football coach at Michigan in more than a half-century, since Bump Elliott took over at 34 in 1959.

“I prepared my entire coaching career for this moment, for this opportunity,” Moore said, before a crowd that included university administrators, Board of Regents members, Michigan players and staff members.

“And I can’t think of a better place to do it than the University of Michigan.

“I love this place. This is our home.”

After stints at Louisville and Central Michigan, Moore joined Harbaugh’s staff at Michigan in 2018, as the tight ends coach, and quickly rose up the ladder, to offensive coordinator.

This past season, in addition to OC and offensive-line coach, he was the acting head coach for four games while Harbaugh served suspensions, and had victories over Penn State and Ohio State.

“We didn’t plan on Sherrone having a four-game audition,” athletic director Warde Manuel said. “Looking back, that’s exactly what transpired.

“And I would add that he aced the audition and got the role.”

Moore signed a five-year contract with a base salary of $5.5 million, plus an annual retention bonus of $500,000.

Manuel, who interviewed Moore on Thursday and offered the job on Friday, said he considered other candidates but didn’t conduct any interviews.

“I wasn’t going to string people along,” Manuel said.

Moore began his coaching career with Louisville as a graduate assistant from 2009 through the 2011 and then was hired as tight end coach through 2013 before moving to Central Michigan as tight ends coach from 2014-2016. In 2017, he was promoted to assistant head coach, continued to coach tight end and also became recruiting coordinator. He joined Harbaugh’s staff the following year.

He became Michigan co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2021, and in 2023 was elevated to offensive coordinator — the primary play-caller — while coaching the offensive line for a third season. He led Michigan’s offensive line to the Joe Moore Award honoring the nation’s top offensive line in 2021 and 2022.

Last season, Moore was unbeaten in four games as acting head coach while Harbaugh served two separate suspensions. Harbaugh missed the first three games of the regular season because of a school-imposed suspension relating to an NCAA investigation involving impermissible recruiting visits in 2021 during a COVID-19 recruiting dead period. Moore also served a one-game suspension in the season opener after a negotiated resolution with the NCAA for that investigation.

In Game 3, Moore took over as head coach and guided Michigan to a 31-6 victory over Bowling Green. Moore served as interim head coach during Harbaugh’s three-game suspension by the Big Ten due to an NCAA investigation into a fraudulent scouting and sign-stealing plan that was started in October. After leading Michigan to victories over Penn State (24–15), Maryland (31–24), and Ohio State (30–24) in the regular-season finale, the team secured the Big Ten East Division title and a berth in the Big Ten title game. In 2023, he was a finalist for the Broyles Award, which is granted to the best assistant in the country.

Among Moore’s first order of business is to get his staff in order and maintain the roster. The NCAA transfer portal opens for 30 days after a head coach leaves, so Michigan players who choose to transfer have through Feb. 23 to enter their names in the portal.

“We’re still working through all that,” Moore said when asked about staff retention. “Definitely going to communicate with the staff. Want to keep as many as we can and do what we can, but we also want what’s best for everybody and their families and their careers.”

Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who spent the last two seasons at Michigan and led the defense to the No. 1 ranking nationally, is expected to join Harbaugh’s staff as is Jay Harbaugh, who most recently coached safeties and was special teams coordinator.

Ben Herbert, Michigan associate head coach and the director of the strength staff, has been an important piece of the program’s success the last few years and is someone Harbaugh is interested in taking with him to the

Batteries. When asked if he intended to stay at Michigan, Herbert graciously declined to respond as he was leaving Moore’s news conference, stating that the day was intended to honor Moore.

Manuel responded, “I know Sherrone is also working on that,” in response to a question concerning Herbert. He is aware of our deep desire for him to be here. Here, we adore him.

Moore, who led Michigan’s play-calling team the previous season, stated he “probably” won’t stay in that capacity.

Moore stated, “We’ll see, but we have a good idea who we’ll put in that position.”