One day Michigan wants to fight the NCAA, the next day, it wants to surrender.
On Monday, it was reported by Dan Wetzel and Pete Thamel of ESPN that Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore is expected to serve a two-game suspension (self-imposed) during the 2025 season related to the NCAA investigation into advanced scouting by Connor Stallions.
Moore will miss the games against Central Michigan and Nebraska. According to Chris Balas of The Wolverine, Moore wanted to coach for the Oklahoma game, so he will sit out games three and four.
That includes the Big Ten opener against Nebraska. Here's an excerpt of the story from ESPN:
"Moore will also be barred from any team-related duties during those weeks and will receive additional recruiting-related penalties. The NCAA can still punish Moore in addition to the self-imposed school penalties. A final resolution is expected before the start of the season."
The NCAA can still impose its own penalties, however, if the NCAA doesn't accept this as a punishent, it feels like Michigan will go to war. At least it should.
It's still disappointing to me that Michigan is giving in so easily. Not long ago, a source close to the program told Chris Balas of The Wolverine this:
“Suspension for Sherrone Moore, scholarship reductions, maybe a fine,” The source told Balas about worst-case scenarios. “But they’d fight it. There’s no evidence — anywhere — that Sherrone had any knowledge.”
If there's "no evidence" that Sherrone Moore had any knowledge of the advanced scouting, why fold? I understand that Michigan wants the case to end and if this brings about a final resolution, it makes it more understandable.
However, what if the NCAA doesn't accept this? Michigan seems to be awfully trusting of an organization that has done nothing but smear it, even breaking its own rules, just to try and make Michigan look bad.
Throughout this investigation, Michigan has acted tough, but folded like a cheap tent at every turn. First, you had the Jim Harbaugh hearing over the Big Ten's suspension. Michigan caved, instead of backing Harbaugh, which is one reason why he's no longer in Ann Arbor.
Harbaugh realized the Michigan administration was never going to truly have his back. Now, it feels like Michigan is giving Moore the same treatment.
Just pick a lane, Michigan. But don't act like you are going to fight a suspension, then self-impose one. It makes Moore look guilty, and if there is no new evidence, I have a hard time understanding the rationale.
Maybe Michigan believes cooperation and self-imposed penalties, like keeping coaches off the recruiting trail this spring, will allow this to come to an end.
That's the the only way this makes sense -- taking this penalty, along with other recruiting penalties for Moore -- as a way to bring about closure for all parties.
If this is the "Hammer," then it's a win for Michigan and a loss for all the Ohio State fans who swore vacated wins and postseason bans were coming. They aren't. They have never been on the table except in the minds of rival fans, trying to explain away losses.
Michigan broke some rules but Moore and others didn't know. It has never been proven that they did or that advanced scouting had any impact on Michigan's run.
Michigan football beat Ohio State without Stallions in 2021, 2023, and 2024. It also won the national championship and did so, "Fair and Square" according to the NCAA President.
I would have preferred digging in and taking the NCAA to court if it tried to overreach. Instead, U-M suspended Moore itself.
It's frustrating and it's time for Michigan to pick a lane, although with its decision not to back Harbaugh or Moore, it already has.