On Friday evening, Michigan announced what so many had hoped and expected, which was that offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore would be the Wolverines’ new head football coach.
Moore is now the program’s 21st head coach in school history and, more significantly, becomes the first Black full-time head coach of the winningest program in college football history (Mike Hart, the school’s all-time leading rusher, became the first Black interim head coach in Wolverines’ history in September 2023).
“I want to thank Coach Harbaugh for the faith that he has displayed in me over the past six years and for supporting my growth as a football coach during that time,” said Moore in a statement. “I also want to thank Athletic Director Warde Manuel, President Santa Ono and members of the Board of Regents for putting their faith and trust in me to be the next leader of this football program. I am excited to reward that trust.”
Moore joined the Wolverines as the tight ends coach in 2018 and moved to offensive line coach in 2021. He became the co-offensive coordinator in 2022 before taking the full-time offensive coordinator role this past season, while also maintaining offensive line coaching duties.
After Harbaugh was suspended, Moore stepped up as the team’s interim head coach four times during the Wolverines’ national championship season and went 4-0 with victories over Bowling Green, Penn State, Maryland and hated rival, Ohio State.
But make no mistake. Even before leading the team to four wins and being an integral part of Michigan’s second national championship in the poll era (1997, 2023), Moore paid his dues in coaching and has a successful resume to back his hiring.
After playing for Butler County (Kansas) Community College and Oklahoma (2006 – 2007), Moore held coaching positions at Louisville and Central Michigan before moving to Ann Arbor. During his 15+ years in coaching, Moore helped improve offensive lines and offenses in general, coached All-American and All-Conference players, and helped the Wolverines’ offensive line become the first group to win back-to-back Joe Moore Awards as the nation’s top offensive line unit. He was also a finalist for the 2023 Broyles Award, an annual award given to the nation’s outstanding assistant coach.
Now he’s the head man for the national champions and leads one of the most legendary programs in college football history.
But more importantly, Moore has created a blueprint for other Black coaches to follow.
A majority of Black coaches hail from the defensive side of the ball, which has created a challenge for those seeking a pathway to becoming an NFL head coach as the league has become increasingly obsessed with offensive-minded head coaches.
Through Moore, the pathway to success and history can be taken through the offensive side of the ball.
The NFL now has six Black head coaches, but they all have defensive backgrounds. In contrast, three of the four coaches in this weekend’s conference championship games have offensive backgrounds.
Moore’s career should be highlighted as a way to develop the pipeline of Black offensive coaches, especially as it resulted in a historic decision.
“Sherrone has proven to be a great leader for our football program, especially the offensive line and players on the offensive side of the football,” said Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel.
Building a career on the offensive side of the ball has worked for other Black head coaches who made history including Marshall’s Charles Huff, Penn State’s James Franklin and former Stanford head coach, David Shaw.
But Moore’s hiring is more significant due to the history of the legendary program that he’s now leading.
And his journey is one that more can follow because of both the moment and opening it produced, and the future it can create.
