The University of Michigan is anticipated to make a decision regarding athletic director Warde Manuel's future in the coming days. This comes as an independent investigation into the athletics department's practices and culture, launched in December, is set to conclude. The findings are expected to be reviewed by university officials this Thursday.
An independent probe, conducted by the Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block, was initiated following the scandal surrounding former football head coach Sherrone Moore. Moore, 40, was fired in December due to an "inappropriate relationship" with a staffer. The situation escalated when he was arrested and charged with home invasion, stalking, and breaking and entering after an alleged confrontation with the staffer, Paige Shiver, whom he had been having an affair with. Shiver had reportedly ended the affair and spoken to school officials prior to the incident.
Moore pleaded no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecom device in April, receiving 18 months of probation. Shiver has since filed a lawsuit against the University of Michigan, seeking requested records and punitive damages. Her suit, filed in Washtenaw County court, alleges that the university is withholding records related to a $12 million investigation into the scandal and that the school violated the Freedom of Information Act.
This investigation into Moore's conduct and its broader implications for the athletic department's culture follows a series of controversies during Manuel's tenure. In March 2025, former offensive coordinator Matt Weiss was charged with hacking and accused by federal prosecutors of stealing private images of student-athletes. Weiss has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Other incidents include the arrests of director of football operations Jim Minick and assistant coaches Denard Robinson and Greg Scruggs on DUI charges. In 2018, former Michigan director of performance science Fergus Connolly was arrested for DUI and faced multiple counts of assaulting or resisting a police officer, later pleading no contest to five misdemeanor charges. Additionally, Glenn 'Shemy' Schembechler, son of former coach Bo Schembechler, resigned three days after being hired in 2023.
The university also faced NCAA sanctions over a sign-stealing scheme orchestrated by former football staffer Connor Stalions.
Despite these controversies, Manuel's tenure has also seen significant athletic success. The football team won the national championship in January 2024 under then-head coach Jim Harbaugh. The men's basketball program secured a national title earlier this year, and both the men's and women's gymnastics teams have also achieved national championships during his time as athletic director. Harbaugh has since left the program to join the Los Angeles Chargers.