Michigan coach Sherrone Moore cannot be fired over NCAA sign-stealing investigation, per clause in contract
Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore finally signed a contract last week after working since Jan. 20 on a memorandum of understanding.
Why Moore still wasn't working under a formal contract upon being promoted from offensive coordinator to replace Jim Harbaugh and despite him and the school agreeing to a five-year, $30 million deal wasn't certain.
As could be expected, the contract states that Moore could be terminated for cause if he commits "deliberate or serious rule violation(s)" or if he "knows of a serious violation of NCAA rules by a coach, staff member, or other representative of the University's athletic interests and fails to promptly report it to the Athletic Director of the University or the Compliance Services Office."
However, a clause discovered in the new contract might provide a hint as to what was still being negotiated. Details of Moore's agreement were released following an open records request from the Detroit Free Press, and it included a notable clause in the section regarding firing for cause that applies to the NCAA's current investigation into advance scouting and sign-stealing connected to former staffer Connor Stalions.
"Notwithstanding the foregoing, a violation of the Governing Rules which occurred prior to the Effective Date, to the extent the University had actual knowledge of the facts or alleged facts that are the basis for the violation prior to the execution of the Agreement by all parties, shall not be deemed a basis for termination with cause."
In the official Notice of Allegations issued to Michigan by the NCAA, Moore was accused of deleting 52 text messages to Stalions when the staffer's name was publicly reported to be responsible for the sign-stealing scheme. The coach later said that he looked forward to the messages being released.
But if no information emerges in the investigation other than what Michigan already knows, the school cannot fire Moore for cause nor be exempt from paying the coach a buyout. That buyout would be $5 million if Moore was fired without cause during the first year of his contract. The sum goes down by $1 million each subsequent year.
If Moore was fired without cause at any point during the five-year contract, he would be owed 75% of his remaining contract, dependent on him getting a new job and what he earned there.
No. 18 Michigan is 2-1 through Moore's first season as head coach and hosts No. 11 USC on Saturday in both teams' Big Ten conference opener. Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
