New Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore led the Wolverines to a 30-10 victory over Fresno State on Saturday, yet he did so without an official contract.
Yes, you read that right. Moore and Michigan have not finalized his contract after agreeing to give him a five-year deal worth roughly $6 million per year almost eight months ago.
While that seems crazy, it turns out that a few other FBS coaches are in the same situation. The same goes for a few of Moore’s assistant coaches.
But to be at a major program, especially one that won the CFP Championship last season, without a signed, multi-million dollar deal seems crazy.
According to USA Today, Moore, 38, is “still working under a three-page document he signed in January known as a memorandum of understanding, or MOU. The document outlines some of the basic parameters of Moore’s future deal, including salary figures and bonus provisions. But it lacks some of the specifics and legalese that often serve as the backbone of a coaching contract − such as the circumstances in which Moore, who is facing potential punishment from the NCAA as part of its investigation into an alleged sign stealing operation, could be fired for cause.”
That sounds ok but the real problem is that the MOU is not binding. For both coaches and schools, a finalized contract brings security. But in Moore’s case, and with the program still facing possible sanctions, decisions could be made easily and quickly, meaning Moore could quit or be fired without the security that an official contract would normally provide.
The memorandum also included a 90-day window for a full-time contract to be executed, and that window passed in April.
When asked why the deal hadn’t been signed yet, USA Today received the following response:
“Coach Moore and his representative have been working with our university attorneys to complete a fully executed contract and we expect that to be finalized soon,” said Michigan spokesperson, Dave Ablauf, last Wednesday.
Michigan has a huge game at home this Saturday against Texas, so you know that Coach Moore’s attention will be focused on the Longhorns. But hopefully, he can get the security of a finalized contract before welcoming Texas to the Big House.
