New Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore is one of seven members from last season’s football program accused of violating NCAA rules in a draft of the NCAA’s notice of allegations, ESPN reported Sunday.
Moore is accused of committing a Level 2 violation, according to the draft document. That would make him a potential repeat violator by the NCAA, given that he contacted recruits during a COVID-19 recruiting dead period.
Per the draft, which is subject to change with its final version, Moore could face a show-cause penalty and possibly a suspension. It is alleged he deleted a string of 52 text messages between himself and former Michigan staff member Connor Stalions in October 2023.
That alleged interaction came on the same day that media reports revealed Stalions was attempting to steal play-calling signals of upcoming opponents.
The text messages in question were later recovered via “device imaging,” and Moore produced them to enforcement staff, per the draft.
Former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and staff members Chris Partridge, Denard Robinson and Stalions — and the university itself — also are accused of committing Level 1 violations, the most severe type. Harbaugh denied all knowledge of illegal scouting, and the draft notice did not offer any evidence that he was aware of or took part in any recruiting violations.
Still, he received a three-game suspension from the Big Ten to end the 2023 regular season for violating league sportsmanship rules.
Per the draft, former coaches Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale also are accused of recruiting violations unrelated to Stalions.
Harbaugh was named the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers on Jan. 24. Two days later, Michigan announced the promotion of Moore, the team’s offensive coordinator/offensive line coach.
Stalions resigned from his job on the Michigan football staff during the 2023 season, which ended with the Wolverines going undefeated and winning the national championship.
