Sherrone Moore being suspended for two games in the upcoming season still raises questions about the Connor Stalions scandal that shook the Michigan Wolverines program two seasons ago. Even with this school-imposed suspension, questions still exist if Moore or other school officials were aware of what Stalions has been accused of. The games against Central Michigan and Nebraska, which Moore would miss, are slightly insignificant in the grand scheme of it all. Does this self-imposed suspension from the University of Michigan prove guilt, or is it an attempt to gain back control of the national narrative?
One year ago, Sherrone Moore took over the Michigan football program. John Harbaugh had driven off to the California sunset, and JJ McCarthy was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. The Michigan Wolverines had a very up-and-down season. The quarterback carousel was one to be forgotten. A lack of offensive innovation made Michigan fans weary. Yes, the Wolverines went to Columbus and beat Ohio State. Yes, they went into the bowl game against Alabama as underdogs and came out victorious. But Moore's first season as head coach left much to be desired. His second season, with Bryce Underwood at the helm, has a set of different expectations. The Wolverine fans expect a team that will take a step forward.
The Connor Stalions scandal has clouded the University of Michigan. Even with the national championship, the perception was that somehow, some way, the Wolverines cheated. Moore's deletion of 52 text messages with Stalions only heightened the suspicion that something had been done. That, in some way, Stalions had stolen signals from other teams, and the Michigan coaching staff used that to their advantage. It is something, even almost two years later, that still hangs a cloud over the Michigan football program. A chapter that all of the Michigan alumni would like to close.
Whether or not, the proposed suspension takes place, one thing is for certain, Sherrone Moore has stepped into a gray area of coaching. Even with the late season success and the monumental signing of Bryce Underwood, he still needs to prove he is the person for the job. The expectations at Michigan, is always to win national championships. Another season like the previous will only raise questions about if Moore is the right person for the job. The ever changing landscape of college football does not allow for too many average or mediocre seasons in a row. Fans get impatient. Alumni get impatient. There is a window in college football and after a few seasons, it will slam shut.
The 2025-2026 season already has its share of adversity before the Wolverines even take the field. With or without the self-imposed suspension. The Michigan Wolverines are trying to stay in the national landscape of powerhouse programs but find themselves on the wrong side of the conversation. Sherrone Moore needs to win games. He needs to change the narrative around Michigan football, or the window will slam shut abruptly.