Michigan athletics director warned about coach's relationship a year before dismissal, report finds

A Wall Street Journal investigation based on a Jenner & Block review indicates that Michigan athletics director Warde Manuel and other officials were alerted to head football coach Sherrone Moore’s relationship with staff member Paige Shiver more than a year before Moore’s termination in December. The law firm, hired to examine the athletic department’s culture, concluded that the university’s handling of the allegations was inadequate and that it was unclear who was responsible for processing reports of misconduct.

According to the report, Manuel wrote a note on August 29, 2024, on university letterhead stating that Shiver could not accompany Moore on trips, a concern raised two days before the 2024 season opener. Over the following months, additional reports emerged, including a claim of inappropriate behavior in Moore’s office, a hotline complaint received directly by Manuel, and a report from Shiver’s father about Moore’s emotional state. The university was also aware of Moore’s online interactions with a donor’s wife who posted provocative photos.

Moore remained head coach until December, when Shiver formally reported the relationship to university officials. The investigation traced the relationship’s origins to November 2021, when Shiver began as an intern and Moore contacted her via Instagram a month later. Their physical relationship began in January 2022 during a recruiting trip.

Manuel later told radio host Sam Webb that he remains confident in his work for the university, emphasizing his commitment to student-athletes, staff and donors. The Jenner & Block report also highlighted broader compliance shortcomings, noting that the athletics compliance officer reported to Manuel rather than the university’s general counsel, raising concerns about oversight independence. Michigan’s general counsel, Timothy Lynch, announced his departure for a position at Stanford.

Shiver has filed a lawsuit alleging the university withheld public records related to her relationship with Moore, and attorneys for both Shiver and Moore have urged the university to release the full investigation report. A university spokesperson said maintaining confidentiality protects the integrity of the process and participants’ privacy.

The findings arrive amid ongoing scrutiny of the athletic department, which has faced multiple controversies in recent years.