Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was detained by police and is "being investigated for potential charges" hours after the university shockingly fired him from his role after finding "credible evidence" that he had engaged in an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member."
Moore was arrested in the city of Saline and turned over to police in Pittsfield Township. Moore is being held at the Washtenaw County Jail as of 10:00 p.m. ET, but officials haven't released any details about charges, bond, or the circumstances of his arrest. The married father of three was involved in an incident on Wednesday that drew police to the scene, The Detroit News reported.
More Trouble for Moore
"The City of Saline Police Department assisted in locating and detaining former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore," the department said in a statement to ESPN. "Mr. Moore was turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department for investigation into potential charges," Saline Police told ESPN in a statement.
Pittsfield Township Police did not name Moore, but late Wednesday night, the department confirmed it was looking into a reported assault and had taken someone into custody.
The incident happened around 4:10 p.m. local time on Wednesday, and officers said that it "does not appear to be random." No additional information was provided.
The news of a possible legal situation added yet another dramatic turn to Moore's sudden firing from Michigan — a decision that sent shockwaves through the college football community.
The university announced just before 5 p.m. that Moore had been "terminated, with cause, effective immediately" following an internal review.
In the meantime, Michigan appointed Biff Poggi as the interim head coach. "Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member," Michigan said in a statement. "This conduct constitutes a clear violation of university policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior."
Dirt Coming Out
The University of Michigan launched an investigation into Moore after receiving an anonymous tip about his alleged inappropriate relationship, according to The Athletic. At first, investigators couldn't find anything to back up the claim, but new information surfaced within the last day that ultimately led to his firing.
CBS Sports also reported that some major donors had recently learned about the accusations and began pulling back on their financial support.
As word of the internal investigation spread in recent days, anxiety grew among members of the Michigan football staff. One staffer told the outlet, "It's hard to ignore."
Moore, who is married and has three daughters, became head coach in January 2024 after Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL following Michigan's national championship season. Moore compiled a 16–8 record over his two years leading the Wolverines, including an 8–5 finish in 2024 capped by a ReliaQuest Bowl win over Alabama.
This year, Michigan went 9–3 before closing the 2025 season with a 27–9 loss to rival Ohio State — now officially Moore's final game in charge.
The Wolverines are scheduled to face Texas in the Citrus Bowl on December 31. Moore stepped in as acting head coach for Michigan's final three games of the 2023 season while Jim Harbaugh completed a three-game suspension tied to the sign-stealing scandal that shook college football. Under Moore's leadership, the Wolverines won all three matchups to close out the year.
Earlier that same season, Moore also filled in for Harbaugh for a single game during a separate suspension connected to recruiting violations.
