An investigation has revealed the University of Michigan’s serious inaction regarding former football head coach Sherrone Moore’s involvement with a staff member. The program also reportedly hid significant details about his sign-stealing controversy. 

“A former University of Michigan football coach says the school’s ex-president actively worked to hide details of the football team’s sign-stealing scandal – and that athletic department leaders knew about ex-coach Sherrone Moore’s affair with a staff member years before it led to his ouster,” Dave Boucher and Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press wrote.

Former Michigan Wolverines assistant Chris Partridge stated that athletic director Warde Manuel and former president Santa Ono had found evidence of the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal. He said that they had discovered it 12 months before the Wolverines won the 2023 national championship. 

"Manuel and other leaders allegedly knew about Moore’s relationship with a staff member 'for years without taking action to protect the employee,'" Dave Boucher and Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press reported July 13.

Partridge made his statement against former Michigan assistant Matthew Weiss. He reportedly also shared that Ono and Manuel never reported the proof of sign-stealing on Weiss’ hard drive to the NCAA or the university's board of regents. 

“Weiss was charged with 24 crimes in 2025, which included 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft, for allegedly hacking into accounts of female athletes and stealing private photographs,” CBS Sports wrote on July 14. 

Reports of Manuel’s alleged years-long silence and cover-up of Moore’s behavior toward Paige Shiver come after her lawyer, Heidi Sharp, made a statement in December 2025. 

Reported legal incidents and Sherrone Moore’s dismissal

According to The Athletic, Sharp told police that Moore had a “long history of domestic violence” against Shiver. Moore was fired in December 2025 when his involvement with Shiver, his former staffer, came to light. 

At the time of Moore’s dismissal, Manuel had described Moore’s relationship with Shiver as “inappropriate.” On the evening of December 10, authorities arrested Moore after he invaded her home and was violent toward her. 

Authorities pressed serious charges against Moore, including a felony and two misdemeanors.

“He broke into my apartment, crying, yelling, enraged, and came at me with knives. I was threatened, and I feared for my life,” Shiver said per an April 15 ESPN report. 

ESPN also reported that Moore pleaded no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunications device stemming from the domestic incident. In exchange for the plea, the felony charge was dropped.

Detroit Free Press reported that the school has not commented on the recent developments in the controversies. 

Moore was involved in another controversy: the sign-stealing scheme. The program is also accused of hiding details about the scandal involving Moore.

Read more at the Michigan Football Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore