Michigan Fires Head Coach Before Texas Game for 'Inappropriate Relationship'

The Texas Longhorns are set to face the Michigan Wolverines in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve but a different head coach will be calling the shots for the Maize and Blue.

Per reports from ESPN's Pete Thamel, Michigan is firing head coach Sherrone Moore after just two full seasons at the helm. The Wolverines went 9-3 during the regular season this year.

Biff Poggi will be the interim coach against the Longhorns in Orlando.

Sherrone Moore Fired for Inappropriate Conduct

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches a play against Ohio State during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to On3's Brett McMurphy, Michigan fired Moore due to an "inappropriate relationship" with a staff member.

"Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately," the university said, per McMurphy. "Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior."

Moore had been with Michigan since 2018, starting as a tight ends coach for the team. An Oklahoma alum, Moore has a ton of familiarity with Texas after playing the Red River Rivalry during his college career but he won't be able to coach against the Longhorns to close out the season.

Sherrone Moore Recently Previewed Matchup vs. Texas Longhorns

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian observes the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

It was only days before the news of his firing broke that Moore was previewing the bowl game matchup with Texas, saying that the Longhorns look like a College Football Playoff team while offering his compliments for the offense.

"Yeah, I mean, they do (look like a playoff team) — especially watching them that last game against A&M," Moore said. They played their tails off. There a physical defense. Offensively, they're explosive, they've got playmakers all over the place. So yeah, absolutely they do."

The Longhorns beat Moore and the Wolverines in the second game of the season last year in Ann Arbor, 31-12.

Despite Moore's departure, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian recognizes how talented Michigan's roster still is.

"We're playing a Michigan team that won five of their last six games," Sarkisian said. "They've got elite players. They've got a fantastic young quarterback who got better as the season went on. Got a really good young runner. They've got talented, really good schemes on both sides of all. We know that from facing them a year ago, and so I think what it does. It raises the competitive level for some of our younger players."