Michigan suspends coach Sherrone Moore for two games in 2025 as part of Connor Stalions scandal, per report
Michigan is expected to hand coach Sherrone Moore a two-game suspension during the 2025 season as a self-imposed punishment for the alleged advanced scouting scheme orchestrated by formal football staffer Connor Stalions, according to ESPN. Moore will miss Michigan's Week 3 game against Central Michigan and its Week 4 Big Ten opener against Nebraska.
Notably, Michigan is not suspending Moore for the first two games, which allows him to coach against his alma mater, Oklahoma, in Week 2 in Norman.
Moore will be excluded from any team activities during the weeks he is suspended. Michigan will also likely hit Moore with recruiting-related punishments. ESPN says Moore's suspension is tied back to him allegedly deleting a thread of 52 text messages with Stalions.
The NCAA is still investigating the purported sign-stealing scheme and has already delivered Michigan a notice of allegations. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel recently said he has not had any conversations with the NCAA about a potential postseason ban.
"What I can point to is that Charlie Baker, when we won the championship, said they won it fair and square," Manuel told 247Sports. "That's something I can say that gives me some sense that they understand that this was a team who won that championship fair and square. I look at that, and as we move forward, we'll see how it goes."
Moore is the second Michigan coach to incur a suspension as a result of the sign-stealing scandal. The Big Ten suspended former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh for three games late in the 2023 season after conducting its own investigation. Harbaugh was able to return to the sidelines in the Big Ten Championship Game and eventually led the Wolverines to a win against Washington in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
In its January response to the NCAA's notice of allegations, Michigan accused the NCAA of "grossly overreaching" and "wildly overcharging" the university despite a lack of evidence, according to documents obtained by Yahoo Sports. The school contends that out of 52 games involving Michigan opponents that Stalions allegedly scouted, only one was attended by Stalions himself.
Eight others were attended by then-Michigan staff members, while others were attended by friends and family, which is not an NCAA violation. The university alleges much of Stalions' sign-stealing operation was achieved through legal avenues, and not in a way that would provide an unfair advantage.
Moore, who enters his second season as head coach, went 8-5 in 2024 — winning the final two games as double-digit underdogs, including a shocker at eventual national champion Ohio State.
Revisiting the Stalions scandalThe whole saga came to light in Oct. 2023 when the Big Ten launched its investigation into the scandal. Stalions apparently constructed a ring of associates that would attend games featuring potential Michigan opponents with the purpose of electronically recording their sidelines and gathering the signs and signals that said teams would use to call plays, which violates NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1.
Stalions allegedly purchased tickets in his own name for more than 30 games involving 11 different Big Ten schools over a period of three years. Records show Stalions bought tickets to the 2021 and 2022 SEC Championship Games through a secondary market. An anonymous Division III coach also told investigators that Stalions hired him to spy on future Big Ten opponents.
Central Michigan got embroiled in the scandal when a photo that appeared to feature Stalions on Central Michigan's sideline for its Sept. 1, 2023 game against Michigan State emerged. Stallions told NCAA investigators that he "did not recall" attending any specific games, but Central Michigan quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner — who was a student assistant under Harbaugh at Michigan from 2015-18 — resigned amid the NCAA's investigation.
Stalions resigned in Nov. 2023. Former Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge was also relieved of his position in Nov. 2023 after he reportedly destroyed evidence, though he denied knowledge of the sign-stealing scandal.
Michigan's outlook for 2025Michigan enters the 2025 season with significant question marks after losing seven players to the NFL Draft, including three first-round selections. But the Wolverines did add a few intriguing pieces to offset the attrition.
Michigan worked hard to upgrade its quarterback situation after a lackluster 2024. The Wolverines went all in on landing Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 prospect nationally in the class of 2025. He comes to Ann Arbor with a college-ready frame and a livewire arm. Michigan also landed former Fresno State and UCF starter Mikey Keene through the transfer portal, giving it an experienced, veteran option to lean on if Underwood needs more time.
Moore and the coaching staff bolstered Michigan's skill positions through the portal, as well. The Wolverines added some much-needed help at wide receiver in Donaven McCulley, who had 834 yards and eight touchdowns in three seasons at Indiana, and Anthony Simpson, who led UMass in 2023 with 801 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite some significant departures along the defensive line, Michigan does return a battle-tested defense, particularly in the secondary with veteran players like Rod Moore, who it can continue to lean on during its rigorous Big Ten schedule.
The team at The Michigan Insider is providing on-the-ground updates on every development in camp, including insights from Sam Webb, Steve Lorenz, Zach Shaw and Alejandro Zuniga. The unrivaled insider team has the latest Michigan practice news and the inside scoop on everything going on in the Michigan football program.
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