NCAA accuses Michigan’s Sherrone Moore of rules violation

According to ESPN, new Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore is among seven individuals from last season’s football program who have been accused of violating NCAA rules in a preliminary notice of allegations. Moore is said to have committed a Level 2 violation for contacting recruits during a COVID-19 recruiting dead period, potentially making him a repeat violator. The draft document suggests that Moore may face a show-cause penalty and a suspension as a consequence. Allegedly, Moore deleted a string of 52 text messages between himself and former staff member Connor Stalions in October 2023, coinciding with reports that Stalions was attempting to steal play-calling signals of upcoming opponents. Despite initial deletion, the text messages were later recovered through “device imaging,” and Moore presented them to enforcement staff, as detailed in the draft. Former head coach Jim Harbaugh, along with staff members Chris Partridge, Denard Robinson, and Stalions, as well as the university itself, are accused of Level 1 violations, the most severe type. Harbaugh denies any knowledge of illegal scouting, with no evidence being provided in the draft indicating his involvement in recruiting violations. Nonetheless, he received a three-game suspension from the Big Ten for violation of league sportsmanship rules to conclude the 2023 regular season. Additionally, former coaches Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale are implicated in recruiting violations unrelated to Stalions. Harbaugh has since been appointed head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, with Moore being promoted to head coach at Michigan shortly after. Stalions resigned from his position on the Michigan football staff during the undefeated 2023 season that culminated in a national championship win. –Field Level Media