Will Michigan fire Warde Manuel? ‘Controversial’ AD treading a thin line amid Sherrone Moore row

Michigan AD Warde Manuel faces renewed pressure after coach Sherrone Moore’s firing and detention, adding to past scandals. But he remains in his role for now.

Warde Manuel, the Athletic Director of the University of Michigan, has come under increased scrutiny after the detention and sacking of former Michigan Wolverines head coach, Sherrone Moore, on Wednesday. Moore was fired for having an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. He was later detained in Saline, Michigan.

Amid his arrest, calls for Michigan to fire Athletic Director Warde Manuel has grown louder, as this is not the first scandal to hit Michigan Athletics since he took over in March 2016. Widespread allegations of mismanagement have surfaced against Warde, leading to pressure on U-M to let him go.

As of now, Michigan University has not fired Warde Manuel and he remains AD, as of this writing. But with the pressure mounting, it remains to be seen how long he manages to stay on.

Before the Sherrone Moore scandal, Michigan football faced the infamous sign-stealing scandal in 2023. In the same year came the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Weiss, whom the FBI found having unauthorized access to accounts of at least 3,000 students.

USA Today’s Nancy Armour wrote in an opinion piece that Manuel is responsible for the “toxic culture” at Michigan sports, and the university likely needs a clean slate. So, why exactly is Warde Manuel so controversial? What were the scandals around him? Let’s discuss.

Also read: Sherrone Moore family pics go viral after Michigan HC firing, detention; ‘adultery is an awful sin’

Warde Manuel Controversies: Full List

Michigan athletics under Warde Manuel has seen multiple controversies beyond the major football cases, including issues in hockey, gymnastics and basketball. Here’s a list.

1. Toxic hockey culture: A 2022 WilmerHale report found Michigan Men’s Hockey Head Coach Mel Pearson oversaw a toxic, retaliatory, and misogynistic culture, including bullying and falsified COVID-19 forms.

2. Gymnastic coach fired: In 2020, Assistant Women’s Gymnastics Coach Kurt Golder was fired and banned after police caught him in a public sex act with a female student-athlete.

3. Football recruiting violations: In 2024, the NCAA sanctioned Michigan Football and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh for Level I recruiting violations during the 2021 COVID dead period.

4. Sign-stealing scandal: In 2023, Recruiting Analyst Connor Stalions ran an illegal in-person sign-stealing scheme, leading to probation, $20M+ fines, and penalties for Harbaugh and then-Offensive Coordinator Sherrone Moore.

5. Sherrone Moore fired: Sherrone Moore’s firing for “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer is the latest addition to the list.