Sherrone Moore is coaching Michigan without a contract

Nov 18, 2023; College Park, Maryland, USA; Michigan Wolverines interim head coach Sherrone Moore before the game against Maryland at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore is currently in a weird contractual spot as he opens his first year in the role.

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel admitted on the “Conqur’ing Heroes” podcast that Moore and several of his assistants do not actually have formalized contracts. Instead, they are working under a memorandum of understanding, legal documents that are often used as stopgaps until a full contract can be negotiated.

“They are being worked on as we speak,” Manuel said, via Aaron McMann of MLive. “I’ve signed a couple of the assistant coaches (to contracts). We had not only a transition in football (but) we had a transition in basketball, we’re dealing with NCAA matters, we’re dealing with the situation with our apparel provider and bringing on Legends as shortly as Saturday. These things take time, the contracts.”

Leaning on MOUs is not completely without precedent. In 2021, Michigan was in the same situation with then-coach Jim Harbaugh, and the two sides went nine months between agreement on an MOU and the signing of an actual contract. Moore’s MOU calls for a five-year, $30 million deal that will presumably be sorted out eventually.

While not completely unusual, it is still a bit strange that Michigan has yet to reach a formal agreement with its head coach. Neither side seems too concerned about it, however, especially with how enthusiastic Moore was to officially land the position.