Sherrone Moore was fired as Michigan football head coach on Wednesday. It was a shocking move, but it's one that Michigan will need to act quickly to recover from.
The Wolverines need to hire a head coach. There are some candidates emerging on that front, although it's hard to know how serious anyone is at this point.
If I was Michigan, I would be looking for two things: strong leadership and the ability to develop quarterbacks.
Bryce Underwood's future is up in the air
Michigan's most important asset, outside of the 2026 recruits, is quarterback Bryce Underwood. His NIL deal is a reflection of that. He had some ups and downs this past season, but the former five-star quarterback is essential for the future, and securing him is key.
I have no idea if Underwood can get out of his NIL deal or not. Surely, he didn't expect his head coach to be fired for cause shortly after his first season, so who knows. Nobody knows the details anyway.
Other programs will surely come calling. Interim head coach Biff Poggi can do what he can. He has shown great leadership in the past. Maybe he can convince some guys to stay short-term until things are in place.
Underwood will be the biggest question. There are other players, too, and you can bet that other programs will be circling Michigan's roster like vultures.
Michigan needs to act quickly and hire a coach, if possible, with a history of developing quarterbacks. Kenny Dillingham is a great example of that. A dynamic hire can salvage this situation.
Whenever a hire is made, the first move will be to make sure Bryce Underwood is on the roster next season, because as of this moment, it feels like far from a sure thing.