Sherrone Moore's Deleted Text Messages Have Earned Him Another NCAA Violation
“Our athletic department and university continue to cooperate with the NCAA regarding our ongoing investigation."
Published Aug. 6 2024, 6:52 p.m. ET
Former college football player and longtime advisor for Central Michigan University Sherrone Moore may face some serious repercussions from the NCAA following new allegations released against him. Sherrone initially contributed to the top-rated college football team in 2018 when he was hired as the tight ends coach before shifting to become the offensive line coach. He was then promoted to the team's head coach at the start of 2024.
Unfortunately, despite only being in the first year of a five-year contract, Sherrone has been hit with another NCAA violation. Allegations have been released claiming that the coach deleted a series of texts with former Michigan staff member Connor Stalions back in October 2023 -- texts that supposedly revealed he was trying to illegally capture playcalling signals of opponents. Here's what you need to know.
Sherrone Moore's deleted text messages have heard him a Level 2 NCAA violation.
In a draft of the NCAA notice obtained by ESPN, the head coach allegedly deleted a thread of 52 text messages with Connor that prove he participated various efforts to scout out the various playcalls of potential opponents. The draft also accuses former Michigan staff members Jim Harbaugh, Chris Partridge, and Denard Robinson of participating in this scheme.
Though Sherrone "subsequently produced [the text messages] to enforcement staff" after they were recovered through "device imaging," the school faces a Level 1 violation charge as a result of these various issues. The NCAA alleges Michigan as a "pattern of noncompliance within the football program." A Level 1 charge is the most severe violation a school can receive from the NCAA.
At this time, Sherrone has not commented on the allegations against him.
Football fans will have to wait to see how the NCAA rules in this case, though a spokesperson for the university released a statement on the situation.
“Our athletic department and university continue to cooperate with the NCAA regarding our ongoing investigation,” a spokesman for the team said in a statement, per ESPN. “We do not have an update to share regarding its status at this time."
This is not the first time Sherrone Moore has received NCAA violations.
Unfortunately, this Level 2 violation makes Sherrone a repeat offender, as he was previously hit with claims that he attempted to recruit players during a decided off-season in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that period of time, Sherron, as well as the former head coach Jim Harbaugh, were both accused of contacting potential recruits for the university while the college was in a self-imposed dead period.
As a result of this infraction, Sherrone faced a single-game suspension. At the time, he was the offensive coordinator for the team, and was unable to be on the sidelines with his team during Michigan's first game at the start of the season. Though this was not a particularly severe punishment at the time, he could face further suspension depending on the results of the most recent investigation.
