Michigan coach Sherrone Moore and some of his assistants are leading the Wolverines without a fully executed contract, according to USA Today. Moore is still tied to the program with a memorandum of understanding that he signed in January, elevating him from offensive coordinator to coach in the wake of Jim Harbaugh's departure to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a recent appearance on the "Conqu'ring Heroes Podcast" that the two sides are still ironing out a deal.
"They're being worked on as we speak," Manuel said. "I've signed a couple of the assistant coaches. You know, we had a transition not only in football, we had a transition in basketball, we're dealing with NCAA matters, we're dealing with the situation with our apparel provider, bringing on legends as shortly as Saturday.
"These things take time, the contracts," he continued. "I mean, they don't just happen overnight and the things that have popped up -- but they're being worked on."
Memorandums of understanding aren't as ironclad as a fully fleshed out contract, though they are a legally binding document. They're often used as a stopgap to give the university and a coach's representatives time to hammer out a more solidified deal.
While it is certainly not the norm, high-profile coaches at big programs do often work for quite a while strictly on MOUs. That often stems from how expedited a coaching search process is compared to an executive of comparable compensation levels in the private sector. It's not at all uncommon for a coach to be hired in early December but not have a full contract signed until the next spring.
Where it becomes a problem is when a school wants to part ways with the coach and a contract is not fully executed. When Florida State fired Willie Taggart in 2019, it became apparent that Taggart had been working on only an MOU for over two years since he was hired in November of 2017, but his buyout was ultimately paid in full by February 2024. Kentucky went through a dispute when it tried to fire basketball coach Billy Gillispie after two seasons. Both sides filed suit and eventually settled at nearly $3 million, about half of what was originally owed to Gillespe.
Hanging over this ongoing negotiation is the fact that Michigan currently faces an NCAA investigation into an alleged sign-stealing scheme orchestrated by former staffer Connor Stalions.
The university received its notice of allegations from the NCAA on Aug. 25. Though no details were provided, a previous draft delivered to Michigan accused Moore of deleting more than 50 text message exchanges between himself and Stalions.
Among the possible penalties for Moore, as outlined in the draft, are a show-cause and one-game suspension, since he would be considered a "repeat violator" due to a separate investigation, settled in April, for recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period.
NCAA policy gives Michigan 90 days to respond to the notice of allegations, which means the Wolverines have until November to address the situation. After a response, the NCAA could then call a meeting of the Committee on Infractions for Michigan to make its case, but that could take place well after the 2024 season is complete.
"Sherrone knows our commitment to him," Manuel said. "We know his commitment to us and the same thing with the assistant coaches. It hasn't been something that has been an issue for me or for them, but we're working through it and we'll hopefully have them wrapped up very soon."
