Welcome to Justice Is A Process.
I'm Steven M. Askin II, and this is a case that shook the college football world to its core. We're covering the criminal case against Sherrone Moore, the recently fired head football coach at the University of Michigan, one of the most storied programs in college football history.
On December 12, 2025, Moore was arraigned in Washtenaw County District Court on three charges: one felony count of third-degree home invasion, one misdemeanor count of stalking, and one misdemeanor count of breaking and entering. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 22, 2026.
This case is remarkable for its speed and its spectacle. Within a matter of hours on December 10, 2025, Moore went from being the head coach of the winningest program in college football history to being an unemployed defendant sitting in a county jail cell. The prosecutor's allegations paint a picture of a man in crisis. The defense says he poses no danger and has no prior criminal history.
What brought us here? Who is Sherrone Moore? What does the state allege happened? And most importantly, what will we be watching for as this case moves through the system?
Let's break it down.
To understand this case, you first need to understand who Sherrone Moore is, where he came from, and what he achieved before everything fell apart.
Sherrone Banfield Moore was born on February 3, 1986, in Derby, Kansas, a small city just south of Wichita. He grew up in what's been described as a structured, disciplined household. His father, Michael Moore, was a retired master sergeant, and both parents had military backgrounds. That kind of upbringing, with its emphasis on discipline, structure, and resilience, would become a through-line in Moore's life and career.
Here's something interesting about Moore that you don't hear about many elite football coaches: he didn't even start playing football until his junior year of high school. That's late. Really late. Most kids who end up coaching at the highest levels of college football were playing the sport from the time they could walk. Moore was different. He came to football as a teenager and made up for lost time through sheer physicality, intelligence, and work ethic.
After graduating from Derby High School in 2004, Moore played two seasons of junior college football at Butler Community College in Kansas before transferring to the University of Oklahoma, one of the most prestigious programs in the country. At Oklahoma, he played as an offensive guard under legendary coach Bob Stoops, appearing in 14 games for the Sooners. He wasn't a star player, but he was a contributor on a competitive Power Five team, which is more than most people can say.
Moore earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Oklahoma in 2008, then immediately began his coaching career. He joined the Louisville staff as a graduate assistant in 2009 under head coach Steve Kragthorpe. When Charlie Strong took over the Louisville program, Moore stayed on and eventually became a full-time assistant, coaching tight ends from 2012 to 2013. During this time, he also earned his master's degree in sports administration.
In 2014, Moore moved to Central Michigan University, where he coached tight ends and later served as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. His work there caught the attention of Jim Harbaugh, who had taken over the University of Michigan program and was looking to build a staff that could restore the Wolverines to national prominence.
In 2018, Moore joined the University of Michigan football staff as the tight ends coach under Jim Harbaugh. This was the break that would define his career. Michigan is not just any program. The Wolverines have won more games than any team in college football history. They play in the Big House, one of the largest stadiums in the world, routinely drawing over 100,000 fans. The expectations are immense, the pressure is constant, and the scrutiny is relentless.
Moore thrived in that environment. He quickly established himself as one of Harbaugh's most trusted assistants. By 2021, he had been promoted to offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator. His units consistently performed at a high level, and his ability to develop players and recruit talent made him indispensable to the program.
But it was the 2023 season that transformed Moore from a respected assistant into a national figure.
The 2023 Michigan football season was unlike any other in the program's history, and Sherrone Moore was at the center of it.
That season, Jim Harbaugh faced two separate suspensions. The first, a three-game ban imposed by the university itself, stemmed from recruiting violations that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second, a three-game suspension imposed by Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti, came in response to the notorious sign-stealing scandal involving former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions.
During Harbaugh's first suspension, Moore served as acting head coach for one game, leading the Wolverines to a 31-6 victory over Bowling Green. When Harbaugh's second suspension kicked in, Moore took over for the final three games of the regular season. At that point, Michigan was 9-0 and ranked among the top teams in the country.
Moore delivered. On November 11, 2023, he led the Wolverines to a 24-15 road victory over number-10 Penn State. The following week, Michigan beat Maryland 31-24 to secure the program's historic 1,000th victory, the first team in college football history to reach that milestone. And in the final week of the regular season, with everything on the line, Moore led Michigan to a 30-24 victory over number-2 Ohio State, giving the Wolverines their third consecutive win in that rivalry.
Now, technically, those three wins were credited to Harbaugh's record, not Moore's. But everyone knew who was calling the plays and leading the team on those sidelines. Moore had proven he could perform under pressure at the highest level.
When Harbaugh returned from his suspension, he led the Wolverines to victories in the Big Ten Championship Game, the Rose Bowl, and ultimately the College Football Playoff National Championship, defeating Washington 34-13 to claim Michigan's first national title since 1997 and the program's first consensus national championship since 1948. Michigan finished 15-0, a perfect season.
Moore was an integral part of that championship run as offensive coordinator. And when Harbaugh left to become head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers in January 2024, Michigan promoted Moore to head coach.
On January 26, 2024, Sherrone Moore became the 21st head football coach in Michigan history. He was also the first African American head coach in the program's 145-year history.
That fact matters. College football, particularly at the most prestigious programs, has been notoriously slow to hire Black head coaches. Despite Black athletes making up a majority of players at many Power Five programs, the coaching ranks, especially at the head coach level, have remained disproportionately white.
When Moore was hired, he joined a small group of Black head coaches at traditional college football powers. His elevation was celebrated as a breakthrough, not just for Michigan but for the sport as a whole. It represented progress, however incremental, in an industry that has long struggled with diversity in its leadership.
Moore signed a five-year contract worth $27.5 million, with a base annual salary of $5.5 million. The university welcomed him with open arms. Athletic Director Warde Manuel called it a historic day for the program.
To understand what Moore was stepping into, you need to understand the weight of Michigan football history.
The Wolverines have won more games than any program in college football history, over 1,000 victories spanning more than 140 years. They've won 12 national championships and 44 Big Ten Conference championships. They've produced three Heisman Trophy winners: Tom Harmon in 1940, Desmond Howard in 1991, and Charles Woodson in 1997.
Michigan Stadium, known as "The Big House," is the largest stadium in the United States and the second-largest in the world. It seats over 107,000 fans and routinely sells out for home games. Playing for Michigan, coaching for Michigan, is not like playing or coaching anywhere else. The expectations are stratospheric. The scrutiny is intense. The history is ever-present.
The program's coaching lineage reads like a hall of fame roster. Fielding Yost won six national championships in the early 1900s. Fritz Crisler won a national title in 1947. Bo Schembechler built a dynasty in the 1970s and 80s, winning 13 Big Ten championships and establishing Michigan as a perennial power. Lloyd Carr won the 1997 national championship.
And then came the dark years. After Carr's retirement, Michigan went through two unsuccessful coaching tenures under Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke. The program that had defined college football excellence for over a century was suddenly struggling to compete.
Jim Harbaugh changed that. When he arrived in 2015, he inherited a program that had gone 5-7 the previous year. Within two seasons, he had Michigan back in the top 10. By 2021, the Wolverines were winning Big Ten championships again. And in 2023, they won it all, the first national championship in 26 years.
Moore was being asked to sustain that success, to build on what Harbaugh had rebuilt, to carry forward a tradition that stretches back more than a century. The pressure was immense. The expectations were sky-high.
Moore's wife, Kelli Lenz Moore, is a former college athlete herself, having played goalkeeper for the Centre College soccer team in Kentucky. She graduated from Centre in 2012 with a degree in financial economics and mathematics, then earned her master's degree at Central Michigan University to become a physician assistant.
The two were married in July 2015 after Moore proposed in December 2014. Together, they have three young daughters: Shiloh, born in 2019; Solei, born in 2022; and Sadie, whose birth date is not publicly known but who is the youngest of the three.
By all accounts, Kelli Moore has maintained a low public profile throughout her husband's coaching career. Her social media accounts are private, and she has rarely given interviews.
The Moore family presented the image of a stable, supportive unit as Sherrone stepped into one of the most demanding jobs in American sports. What was happening behind that public image, we now know, was far more complicated.
Moore's first season as head coach in 2024 was a mixed bag. The Wolverines faced significant roster turnover, losing quarterback J.J. McCarthy, running back Blake Corum, and several other key players to the NFL. The offense struggled, ranking just 113th nationally in scoring at 22.0 points per game. Former walk-on Davis Warren handled most of the quarterback duties, and the passing game sputtered.
But the defense was elite, stacked with NFL talent, and kept Michigan competitive in games where the offense couldn't get going. The team finished 8-5 overall, their worst record since 2017.
The season ended on a high note, though. In the final game of the regular season, Michigan upset number-2 Ohio State 13-10 on the road, extending their winning streak in the rivalry to four games, the longest such streak in the 21st century. Moore became the only coach in the series to win his first three games against the Buckeyes.
Then, in the ReliaQuest Bowl on December 31, 2024, Michigan defeated number-11 Alabama 19-13. The Wolverines entered that game as 16.5-point underdogs. With that win, Michigan became the only program in college football history to beat Alabama twice in the same calendar year, having also defeated the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl at the end of the 2023 season.
Moore also landed a massive recruiting victory, flipping Bryce Underwood, the number-1 overall high school recruit in the nation, from LSU to Michigan. Reports suggested the deal involved approximately $10 million in NIL (name, image, and likeness) money. It was a statement that Michigan, even in transition, remained an elite destination for top talent.
Moore's second season started with controversy before a single game was played. In May 2025, it was revealed that Moore would be suspended for the third and fourth games of the season as the NCAA's sign-stealing investigation continued. The suspension stemmed from Moore's alleged failure to cooperate fully with investigators and his deletion of text messages with Connor Stalions, the staffer at the center of the scandal. Moore later produced the deleted messages, which reportedly contained no incriminating information.
Biff Poggi, the associate head coach, filled in as interim head coach for those two games, leading Michigan to victories over Central Michigan (63-3) and Nebraska (30-27).
When Moore returned, he guided the Wolverines to a 9-3 regular season record, including a 7-2 mark in Big Ten play. Bryce Underwood, the prized recruit, had earned the starting quarterback job and showed flashes of his immense talent.
The regular season ended on a sour note, however. On November 29, 2025, number-1 Ohio State came to Ann Arbor and handed Michigan a 27-9 defeat, snapping the Wolverines' four-game winning streak in the rivalry. It was the most-watched college football game of the 2025 season.
Despite that loss, Michigan finished the season ranked 18th in the AP Top 25 and earned a bid to the Citrus Bowl, where they were scheduled to face number-14 Texas on New Year's Eve.
Everything seemed set for Moore to build on what had been, despite the ups and downs, a solid foundation. The program was stable. The recruiting was strong. The future looked bright.
And then, in the span of a few hours, it all came crashing down.
On the afternoon of December 10, 2025, the University of Michigan issued a stunning announcement. Head football coach Sherrone Moore had been terminated, effective immediately, for cause.
The statement came from Athletic Director Warde Manuel:
Manuel did not elaborate on the nature of the relationship, the identity of the staff member, or how long the investigation had been ongoing. A university spokesman declined further comment, citing personnel matters.
The university simultaneously announced that Biff Poggi, who had already served as interim head coach twice during Moore's suspensions, would assume the role again for the Citrus Bowl.
The timing was jarring. This announcement came less than two weeks after the regular season ended and just three weeks before Michigan's bowl game. It came in the middle of the early signing period for recruiting. It came with no warning to the public.
But according to subsequent reporting, the investigation had been ongoing for months.
Sports commentator, author, and University of Michigan lecturer John U. Bacon later reported that the university had first investigated the matter in the summer of 2025 after receiving an anonymous tip. At that time, both parties, Moore and the staff member, denied the allegation. The university apparently found insufficient evidence to take action.
Then, on December 10, 2025, the situation changed dramatically. According to Bacon, the staff member recanted her earlier denial and went to university administrators with proof of a romantic involvement with Moore. That proof reportedly prompted the university to act immediately.
Moore was fired that afternoon.
What the university didn't know, and what no one knew at that moment, was that the situation was about to get much worse.
To understand why the university acted so swiftly and definitively, you need to understand the policy Moore allegedly violated.
The University of Michigan has clear policies prohibiting supervisors from initiating or attempting to initiate intimate relationships with employees they supervise. This is standard at most major universities and corporations. The power imbalance inherent in such relationships creates concerns about consent, favoritism, and workplace safety.
Moore, as head coach, was at the top of the football program's hierarchy. Any staff member working within that program would have been under his authority, either directly or indirectly. If Moore engaged in a romantic relationship with such a person, it would constitute a clear violation of university policy, regardless of whether the relationship was consensual.
The university's swift action, termination for cause with no buyout, suggests they believed the evidence was unambiguous. Under the terms of Moore's contract, a termination for cause meant Michigan was not obligated to pay out the remaining years of his deal. Had he been fired without cause, Moore would have been entitled to a substantial buyout.
The following day, University of Michigan Interim President Domenico Grasso issued an open letter to the university community. His words were pointed:
Grasso added that he and the Board of Regents were "united in committing to doing what is right."
This was strong language from a university president, especially while speaking about an individual who, at that moment, had not been charged with any crime. It signaled that the university considered this matter closed from an employment perspective, even as other investigations continued.
The same day Moore was fired, December 10, 2025, something else happened that transformed this story from a university scandal into a criminal matter.
At some point that evening, Pittsfield Township Police responded to a call on the 3000 block of Ann Arbor-Saline Road, approximately two miles west of Ann Arbor's Briarwood Mall. The call reportedly involved an alleged assault.
The Saline Police Department assisted in locating and detaining the suspect. That suspect was Sherrone Moore.
After being taken into custody, Moore was transported to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation. According to his defense attorney, health officials evaluated him but did not commit him. He was then turned back over to law enforcement.
Moore was booked into the Washtenaw County Jail on the evening of December 10, 2025. He would remain there for two nights, awaiting arraignment.
Washtenaw County jail records confirmed that Moore was in custody. The records did not initially specify what charges he might face. No bond information was available. The situation remained murky.
On December 11, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office issued a statement acknowledging that Moore remained in custody and that the matter was under active investigation. A spokesperson indicated that charging decisions were not expected that day and that Moore was expected to appear in court for arraignment on December 12.
The story exploded across sports media and beyond. A national championship-winning football coach, fired and jailed within hours, for reasons that were initially unclear. Speculation ran rampant.
The Pittsfield Township Police Department acknowledged receiving "numerous media inquiries" about the incident but provided few details. They did not initially name Moore in their public statements, though the timing and location of the arrest aligned with reports from ESPN and other outlets.
Audio from the 911 dispatch, later obtained by media outlets, reportedly contained references to a domestic situation and described the subject as having been stalking the victim "for months."
The picture was coming into focus, and it was troubling.
On December 12, 2025, Sherrone Moore appeared via video in Washtenaw County 14A-1 District Court for his arraignment before Magistrate Odetalla Odetalla.
Moore appeared on screen wearing a white jail uniform. He spoke very little during the proceeding, answering the magistrate's questions with quiet affirmations: "Yes, your honor."
The magistrate entered a plea of not guilty on Moore's behalf.
Under Michigan law (MCL 750.110a), punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000.
According to the criminal complaint, Moore is accused of "unlawfully entering the dwelling of a victim with whom Mr. Moore had a dating relationship" with the intent to commit a misdemeanor (stalking) in that dwelling, and committing that misdemeanor while inside.
Under Michigan law (MCL 750.411h), punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Stalking is defined under Michigan law as a willful course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment of another individual that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested, and that actually causes the victim to feel such things.
Under Michigan law, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.
This charge alleges that Moore entered the home of the victim with whom he had a dating relationship without permission.
Washtenaw County First Assistant Prosecutor Kati Rezmierski presented the state's case at the arraignment. Her account of what allegedly happened on December 10 was detailed and disturbing.
According to Rezmierski, Moore had been in an "intimate relationship" with the victim for a "number of years." The relationship ended on Monday, December 8, 2025, when the woman broke up with Moore. The woman then went to university officials to disclose the relationship, which led to Moore's firing on December 10.
What happened next, according to the prosecutor, is the basis for the criminal charges.
Rezmierski alleged that after being fired, Moore went to the woman's apartment. She described what followed:
The prosecutor quoted Moore as allegedly saying: "I'm going to kill myself. I'm going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life."
Rezmierski characterized Moore's alleged behavior as "a series of very, very threatening, intimidating, terrifying, quite frankly, statements and behaviors."
She added: "The totality of the behavior is highly threatening and highly intimidating. We consider him a risk to public safety, a risk to this victim."
According to the prosecutor, Moore left the apartment after the woman told him she was calling her attorney.
Moore's defense attorney, Joe Simon, spoke briefly at the arraignment and to reporters afterward. He emphasized that he had not yet reviewed the police report or received discovery in the case.
"I've not seen the police report, I've not seen discovery, it would be irresponsible for me to comment," Simon said after the arraignment.
During the hearing, Simon told the court that Moore was not a flight risk, did not own any weapons, and was not a danger to the public or to the woman involved. He noted that Moore had no prior criminal history and no prior contact with the criminal justice system.
Simon also confirmed that Moore had been taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation after his arrest on Wednesday. He was not admitted but was returned to law enforcement custody. On Thursday, the county's Community Mental Health department also evaluated Moore and "did not have further recommendations" for him.
Magistrate Odetalla set bond at $25,000 cash or surety.
The conditions of Moore's release were extensive:
On this last point, the magistrate was emphatic:
Moore agreed to all conditions.
He was released from custody on Friday afternoon, December 12, 2025, after posting bond.
Moore's probable cause conference is scheduled for January 22, 2026. At that hearing, the prosecution will need to demonstrate that there is sufficient evidence to proceed with the charges.
The identity of the alleged victim has been kept confidential by the court, and that's appropriate. But based on public reporting, we can piece together some general information about the circumstances.
According to prosecutor Kati Rezmierski, the woman was a university staff member. The nature of her position within the athletic department or broader university has not been publicly disclosed. What we do know is that she was in a position where Sherrone Moore, as head football coach, was either directly or indirectly her superior in the organizational hierarchy.
The relationship, according to the prosecution, lasted "a number of years." This means it likely began while Moore was still an assistant coach, before he was elevated to the head coaching position in January 2024. The relationship apparently continued after Moore became head coach.
University of Michigan policy prohibits supervisors from initiating or attempting to initiate intimate relationships with employees they supervise. This policy exists because of the inherent power imbalance in such relationships. When your romantic partner controls your employment, your assignments, your evaluations, and your career advancement, the dynamics of that relationship are fundamentally different from a relationship between equals.
The woman apparently ended the relationship on December 8, 2025. The reasons for the breakup have not been publicly disclosed. What happened next transformed a private matter into a public scandal.
On December 10, 2025, the woman went to university officials and disclosed the relationship. This disclosure triggered the investigation that led to Moore's immediate termination.
Why did she come forward? We don't know for certain. Perhaps the end of the relationship freed her to speak up. Perhaps she felt an obligation to report the policy violation. Perhaps there were other factors we're not aware of.
Whatever her reasons, her decision to disclose changed everything.
Within hours of the woman's disclosure, Moore was fired. Within hours after that, according to the prosecution, he showed up at her apartment.
The prosecutor's account of what happened inside that apartment is chilling. Moore allegedly forced his way in, grabbed kitchen implements, and threatened to kill himself while the victim watched. He allegedly blamed her for ruining his life.
This is textbook coercive behavior. Threatening self-harm as a way to manipulate someone else, particularly someone who has just ended a relationship, is a recognized form of emotional abuse. It puts the victim in an impossible position: if they leave or call for help, they feel responsible for whatever the person does to themselves. It's a form of control, even when it doesn't involve physical violence against the victim.
The woman apparently called her attorney, and Moore left. She then contacted law enforcement.
If the prosecution's account is accurate, this woman did everything right. She ended a relationship that was problematic. She reported it to authorities. When her former partner showed up at her home uninvited, she didn't escalate the situation. She sought help from her attorney and then from police.
She is now a key witness in a criminal prosecution. Her life has been disrupted. Her identity, while officially confidential, may eventually become public through the legal process or through leaks. She will likely have to testify in court, reliving the events of December 10 in front of cameras and the public.
Whatever happened in that relationship, and whatever her role in its ups and downs, she deserves to have her allegations taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. That's what due process looks like for alleged victims as well as defendants.
There's one more wrinkle to this story that deserves attention.
According to CBS Detroit reporter Rachel Hopmayer, Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel was allegedly made aware of "mental health issues" involving Moore earlier in the week of his firing. Additionally, Hopmayer reported that there had been "two previous investigations" over Moore's alleged conduct with women.
If true, this raises serious questions about what the university knew and when they knew it.
Were there prior complaints about Moore's conduct? Were they investigated? Were they dismissed or substantiated? Did the university take any action based on those prior investigations?
We don't have answers to these questions yet. The university has been tight-lipped about the investigation, citing personnel matters. But as this case proceeds, these questions may become central to understanding how Moore's conduct went unaddressed for what appears to have been an extended period.
Sports commentator John U. Bacon reported that the university first investigated allegations of an inappropriate relationship in the summer of 2025, after receiving an anonymous tip. At that time, both Moore and the staff member denied the allegations. The investigation apparently ended without action.
It was only when the staff member changed her account on December 10 and provided proof of the relationship that the university acted.
This raises the question: if the university had acted more aggressively in the summer, could the events of December 10 have been prevented?
This is not to suggest the university bears responsibility for Moore's alleged criminal conduct. Adults are responsible for their own actions. But institutions have obligations to investigate complaints thoroughly and to protect employees from inappropriate conduct by supervisors.
As this case develops, we may learn more about what the university knew and when. For now, these remain open questions.
Let me break down what Moore is facing in plain English, because the legal jargon can obscure what's actually at stake.
This is the most serious charge. Under Michigan law, third-degree home invasion occurs when a person breaks into or enters a dwelling without permission with the intent to commit a misdemeanor inside, or when they commit a misdemeanor while inside the dwelling after an unauthorized entry.
The key elements the prosecution must prove:
In this case, the alleged misdemeanor committed inside the dwelling appears to be stalking, which the prosecution seems to be treating as a continuous course of conduct that culminated in the events of December 10.
The penalty for third-degree home invasion is up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $2,000.
For context: First-degree home invasion, which involves entry while armed with a dangerous weapon or while another person is lawfully present, carries up to 20 years. Second-degree, which involves intent to commit a felony or assault, carries up to 15 years. Third-degree is the lowest level of home invasion charge in Michigan, but it's still a felony with real prison exposure.
Michigan defines stalking as a willful course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested, and that actually causes the victim to feel those things.
"Course of conduct" means a pattern of two or more separate acts showing continuity of purpose. A single incident, no matter how frightening, typically doesn't qualify as stalking. The state must show a pattern.
The "domestic relationship" designation applies because the victim and Moore allegedly had a dating relationship. This is significant because it affects how the case is processed and may influence sentencing.
The penalty for misdemeanor stalking is up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000. The court may also impose up to five years of probation.
If this were aggravated stalking, which involves factors like violating a restraining order, making credible threats, or having a prior stalking conviction, it would be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The charges filed suggest the prosecution is treating this as the misdemeanor version.
This is the least serious of the three charges, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. It essentially alleges that Moore entered the victim's home without permission.
You might wonder why this charge is included when the home invasion charge seems to cover the same conduct. The answer is that prosecutors often file overlapping charges to give themselves flexibility. If a jury finds insufficient evidence for the home invasion charge but believes Moore did enter without permission, they can convict on this lesser charge.
Based on the statements at the arraignment, the prosecution's theory appears to be:
Moore's attorney has not laid out a specific defense strategy, which is appropriate at this early stage. But based on the facts as alleged and the law as written, here are potential defense arguments:
The most obvious defense is that Moore had implied permission to enter the apartment based on his prior relationship with the victim. If Moore had a key, if he had routinely been at the apartment before, if the victim had not explicitly revoked his welcome, the defense might argue he had a reasonable belief that he was permitted to enter.
This is not a slam-dunk defense, particularly given that the relationship had apparently ended just two days earlier and under contentious circumstances. But it's a factual question for a jury, and it attacks a core element of the home invasion charge.
Stalking requires a "course of conduct," meaning a pattern of behavior over time. A single incident, even a frightening one, typically doesn't satisfy this element.
If the only conduct the prosecution can point to is what happened on December 10, the stalking charge may be vulnerable. However, the 911 dispatch audio reportedly referenced stalking "for months," which suggests the prosecution may have evidence of prior conduct.
The defense might argue that any prior contact was part of a consensual romantic relationship and did not constitute harassment. They might challenge whether the victim actually felt terrorized or intimidated, or whether a reasonable person would have felt that way.
The defense has already emphasized that Moore was in mental health crisis at the time of the alleged conduct. While mental health issues don't typically constitute a complete defense to criminal charges, they can influence how a jury views the defendant's intent and culpability. They can also be a significant factor at sentencing.
The defense may also challenge the credibility of the victim, though this is always a delicate strategy, particularly in cases involving domestic relationships.
Detroit-based defense attorney Todd Flood, who was not involved in the case but was asked to comment by media, described the charges as "very serious."
On the question of consent to enter, Flood noted: "The only defense I could see Moore making on the home invasion charge is that the woman consented to having him enter the home. Footage from a ring camera might play a key role in such a situation."
Another criminal defense attorney, Wade Fink, offered a more measured assessment of the likely outcome:
"Probation is very possible. Prison is rather unlikely."
Fink noted that prosecutors charged third-degree home invasion rather than first- or second-degree, which suggests they did not believe the facts supported the more serious charges. Third-degree is a felony, but it's at the lower end of the spectrum.
Here's what I'll be watching as this case moves forward:
You can't fully understand the context of Moore's downfall without understanding the sign-stealing scandal that has hung over Michigan football for more than two years.
In the fall of 2023, as Michigan was marching toward a national championship, a scandal erupted. Connor Stalions, a low-level staffer in Michigan's football program, was accused of orchestrating an elaborate scheme to steal opponents' play-calling signals.
According to the NCAA's investigation, Stalions purchased tickets in his own name for more than 30 games over three years at 11 different Big Ten schools. He referred to his operation as "the KGB" and scouted at least 13 future opponents over 52 contests. In recorded calls, Stalions referred to sideline footage obtained through his scheme as "dirty film."
The scandal exploded publicly in November 2023. Stalions resigned. The Big Ten Conference suspended head coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three regular season games.
And Sherrone Moore? He was implicated, though not as a central figure.
According to the NCAA's draft notice of allegations, Moore was one of seven members of Michigan's 2023 coaching staff accused of violating NCAA rules. The specific allegation against Moore was that he deleted a text thread containing 52 messages with Stalions in October 2023. Moore later produced the deleted messages to investigators, and they reportedly contained no incriminating information.
Still, the damage was done. Moore was accused of failing to cooperate fully with the investigation, of destroying potentially relevant materials, of providing misleading information.
In August 2025, the NCAA ruled that Moore, along with Harbaugh, Stalions, and former assistant Denard Robinson, had engaged in conduct ranging from "destroying relevant materials to providing false or misleading information during interviews."
Moore received a three-game suspension for the 2025 season, which was later reduced to two games as part of the university's self-imposed penalties. He also received a two-year show cause penalty, meaning any future employer would face restrictions if they hired him.
I'm not suggesting the sign-stealing scandal has any direct connection to the criminal charges Moore now faces. They are completely separate matters.
But context matters. Moore's tenure at Michigan was marked by controversy from the start. He inherited a program under investigation. He was suspended for his own role in that investigation. He operated under a cloud of scrutiny that never fully lifted.
And now, barely two years after becoming head coach, he faces criminal charges that could result in prison time.
The University of Michigan football program has had two head coaches in the past two years. Both left under scandal. Both face ongoing legal and NCAA consequences. Both will be remembered as much for their controversies as their accomplishments.
When Sherrone Moore was fired on December 10, 2025, the University of Michigan immediately turned to a familiar face: Biff Poggi.
Francis Xavier "Biff" Poggi is one of the most unusual figures in college football. He's a former offensive lineman who played at Pittsburgh and graduated from Duke. He made his fortune as a hedge fund manager, co-owning a firm with his father-in-law that was reportedly worth "hundreds of millions" of dollars when he stepped away from day-to-day operations.
Poggi spent decades coaching high school football in Baltimore, winning 13 state championships at the Gilman School. He then founded the football program at Saint Frances Academy, pouring his own money into the school, funding 65 scholarships worth approximately $2.5 million, and turning it into a national powerhouse.
Jim Harbaugh brought Poggi to Michigan as an analyst in 2016. He returned as associate head coach from 2021 to 2022, playing a key role in the back-to-back Big Ten championship teams. He then left to become head coach at Charlotte, where he struggled, going 6-16 over two seasons before being fired in November 2024.
Moore brought Poggi back to Michigan as associate head coach for the 2025 season. When Moore was suspended for two games earlier in the year, Poggi stepped in as interim head coach and went 2-0, beating Central Michigan 63-3 and Nebraska 30-27.
Now Poggi is the interim head coach again, this time for the Citrus Bowl against Texas on December 31, 2025.
Poggi has said publicly that he does not want to be a head coach again. He's 66 years old, independently wealthy, and has already experienced the pressures of leading a program. He's a stabilizing figure for the bowl game, but he's not the long-term answer.
Michigan is now in the market for a new head coach, and they'll need to move quickly.
The timing is brutal. The early signing period for recruiting just ended. Players are already in the transfer portal. The bowl game is in less than three weeks. And Michigan has to find someone willing to take on a program that has been through two scandals in two years.
The good news for Michigan is that they remain one of the most prestigious programs in college football. They have Larry Ellison, one of the richest men in the world, reportedly involved in NIL funding. They have a passionate fan base, elite facilities, and a history unmatched by any program in the country.
Early speculation has centered on several candidates, including Alabama's Kalen DeBoer, who has ties to the Midwest, and other sitting Power Four head coaches.
But whoever takes this job will inherit a program in disarray. They'll have to navigate the NCAA's ongoing investigation into the sign-stealing scandal, rebuild relationships with recruits who may be having second thoughts, retain players considering the transfer portal, and do all of this under intense national scrutiny.
It's not an easy sell. But for the right person, it could be the opportunity of a lifetime.
The human cost of this scandal extends beyond Moore himself.
Michigan's players found out their coach had been fired just weeks before their bowl game. They've now had three different head coaches in a single season, if you count Moore, Poggi during the suspension, and Poggi again after the firing.
Bryce Underwood, the number-1 recruit in the country who flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan largely because of his relationship with Moore, now faces an uncertain future. He's already enrolled at Michigan, so he can't simply decommit. But he could enter the transfer portal if he chooses.
Other recruits have already begun to waver. Bear McWhorter, a three-star offensive lineman who signed with Michigan during the early signing period, reportedly backed out of his letter of intent amid the scandal.
The transfer portal window is open, and players from every program are evaluating their options. Michigan could lose significant contributors if recruits and current players decide the program's instability is too much.
On the other hand, some Michigan signees have publicly reaffirmed their commitments and voiced support for Poggi. The program's brand still carries weight. But uncertainty is never good for recruiting, and Michigan has uncertainty in abundance right now.
As we follow this case through the system, here's what I'll be paying attention to:
Sherrone Moore is a prominent figure, a former national championship-winning coach at one of the most visible programs in sports. High-profile defendants sometimes receive better treatment than ordinary citizens, whether it's faster arraignments, more accommodating bond conditions, or more deferential judges. They also sometimes face harsher public judgment because of their notoriety.
I'll be watching to see whether Moore is treated like any other defendant facing these charges, or whether his status, for better or worse, influences how his case is handled.
The prosecutor laid out a disturbing set of allegations at the arraignment. That's her job. She's advocating for the state's position.
But Moore's defense attorney has made clear that he hasn't even reviewed the discovery yet. The defense's case hasn't been presented. Moore's side of the story hasn't been told.
Remember: what we heard at the arraignment was the prosecution's version of events. It may be entirely accurate. It may also be incomplete or presented in the most damaging light possible. We won't know until the defense has a chance to respond.
Moore has a right to due process. He has a right to confront the witnesses against him. He has a right to effective assistance of counsel. He has a right to a fair and impartial trial.
I'll be watching to ensure those rights are protected, just as I would for any defendant.
This case involves an alleged victim whose identity has been kept confidential. Whatever happened on December 10, there's a real person on the other side of this, someone who apparently ended a relationship, reported it to authorities, and then experienced what the prosecutor described as "terrifying" conduct in her own home.
The Justice Lens isn't just about defendants' rights. It's about ensuring the process works fairly for everyone involved. If the allegations are true, the victim deserves to see the system hold the defendant accountable. If the allegations are exaggerated or false, the defendant deserves protection from unjust prosecution.
We won't know which scenario is closer to the truth until the evidence is fully presented and tested.
At this hearing, the prosecution will need to show that there's sufficient evidence to proceed with the charges. This is a low bar, probable cause is a much lower standard than proof beyond a reasonable doubt, but it's the first real test of the prosecution's case.
After the probable cause conference, the defense will receive full discovery, including police reports, witness statements, and any physical evidence. They'll have an opportunity to file motions challenging the admissibility of evidence, seeking dismissal of charges, or raising other legal issues.
Most criminal cases are resolved through plea agreements rather than trials. Given the circumstances here, including Moore's lack of prior criminal history, the mental health component, and the relatively lower-level charges, a negotiated resolution is certainly possible.
If the case does go to trial, a jury will hear all the evidence and decide whether the prosecution has proven each element of each charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
Whatever you think about what Sherrone Moore allegedly did, the picture that emerges from the arraignment is of a man in profound crisis.
He had just been fired from his dream job. His career was over. His marriage was presumably in jeopardy. His family's future was uncertain. Everything he had built was crumbling around him.
According to the prosecution, his response was to go to the home of the woman whose disclosure triggered his firing and threaten to kill himself in front of her.
This is not normal behavior. This is not the behavior of someone thinking clearly. This is the behavior of someone in the grip of overwhelming emotional distress.
None of this excuses criminal conduct, if criminal conduct occurred. But it provides context. It helps us understand what might have led to this moment.
Moore's defense attorney confirmed that he was taken for a mental health evaluation after his arrest and that the county's Community Mental Health department evaluated him again the following day. The court ordered him to continue mental health treatment as a condition of his release.
Whatever happens in this case legally, Sherrone Moore clearly needs help. I hope he gets it.
Moore's situation, while unique in its details, speaks to broader issues about the pressures facing elite coaches in big-time college athletics.
The job of a Power Five head coach is unlike almost any other position in American sports. The hours are brutal: during the season, coaches routinely work 18-hour days, arriving at the facility before dawn and leaving after midnight. The pressure is relentless: every play is analyzed, every decision is second-guessed, every loss is treated as a crisis.
Coaches are responsible for the development of young men, the management of multimillion-dollar budgets, the navigation of byzantine NCAA regulations, and the satisfaction of demanding alumni, boosters, and administrators. They're public figures, recognized on the street, unable to go to dinner without being approached by fans wanting to talk about the latest game.
And their job security is entirely dependent on winning. Lose too many games, and you're fired, regardless of how many young men you've developed, how many graduation rates you've improved, or how many community service hours your team has logged. Winning is everything. Nothing else matters.
In that environment, personal lives often suffer. Marriages fail at alarming rates among college coaches. Relationships with children become strained. Mental health issues go unaddressed because admitting vulnerability is seen as weakness.
None of this excuses Moore's alleged conduct. Plenty of coaches face these pressures without violating university policy or engaging in behavior that leads to criminal charges. Personal responsibility matters.
But if we're going to understand how someone like Moore ended up in this situation, we need to understand the environment that shapes these coaches. Big-time college athletics is not designed to promote healthy, balanced lives. It's designed to win games. Everything else is secondary.
And then there's Moore's family.
Kelli Moore has made no public statements since her husband was fired and arrested. Their three young daughters, the oldest of whom is only six years old, are too young to understand what's happening but old enough to sense that something is terribly wrong.
Whatever role Moore played in creating this situation, his family did not choose any of this. They are collateral damage in a very public implosion.
The revelation of a multi-year affair would be devastating to any marriage. The public nature of this revelation, broadcast across sports media and social media, makes it infinitely worse. Whatever Kelli Moore decides about her marriage, she and her daughters will have to navigate the aftermath of this scandal for years to come.
I won't speculate about what happens to the Moore family. That's their business, not ours. But as we cover this case, we should remember that behind the headlines, there are children who didn't choose to have their father's downfall become national news.
We don't know the identity of the alleged victim, and I won't speculate. But we know she was a university staff member who was in a relationship with her boss, the head football coach, for what the prosecution described as "a number of years."
Workplace relationships involving supervisors and subordinates are inherently complicated. Power dynamics make true consent murky. The relationship's end resulted in Moore losing his job, which suggests the university viewed him as the responsible party.
And then, according to the prosecution, she experienced a terrifying encounter in her own home, watching a man she'd been in a relationship with threaten to kill himself while blaming her.
If the allegations are true, she is a victim in every sense of the word. Her life has been upended by this scandal just as surely as Moore's has, but without the public platform or resources to manage the fallout.
The legal system exists, in part, to provide accountability when one person harms another. If Moore's conduct rose to the level of criminal behavior, the alleged victim deserves to see that conduct addressed through the courts. If the stalking allegations are accurate, if there was a pattern of harassment beyond the December 10 incident, she deserves protection.
At the same time, she deserves to have her privacy respected to the greatest extent possible. She didn't ask to become a public figure. She was a staff member who tried to end a complicated relationship and then found herself at the center of a national scandal.
I've spent a lot of time in this report laying out the facts of the case, the legal landscape, and the human dimensions. Let me step back and explain why this case matters beyond the individuals involved.
This case matters because it will test whether our criminal justice system treats the powerful the same as everyone else.
Sherrone Moore is not a household name in the way that some celebrities are. But in the world of college football, he was a significant figure. He was the head coach at the most storied program in the sport. He had the backing of a major university, access to high-priced legal representation, and resources to mount a vigorous defense.
Will that status help him? Will prosecutors be more lenient because of who he is? Will judges give him breaks that an ordinary defendant wouldn't receive?
Or will his status hurt him? Will prosecutors be more aggressive to avoid the appearance of giving preferential treatment? Will his case receive scrutiny that an ordinary case wouldn't receive?
These are real questions. Research consistently shows that wealth, status, and access to high-quality legal representation correlate with better outcomes in the criminal justice system. But high-profile cases can also generate pressure to demonstrate that no one is above the law.
I'll be watching to see which dynamic prevails.
This case also matters because it involves allegations of stalking and harassment in the context of a dating relationship. These are among the most underreported and underprosecuted crimes in our system.
Victims of stalking often don't come forward because they fear they won't be believed. They fear retaliation. They fear the process will be too traumatic. They fear that the system won't take their allegations seriously.
When someone with Sherrone Moore's profile is charged with stalking, it sends a message. It sends a message that these allegations will be investigated regardless of who the accused is. It sends a message that victims can come forward and expect to be heard.
Now, Moore is presumed innocent, and we should wait for the evidence to be fully developed before reaching conclusions. But the mere fact that charges were filed, and filed against someone of Moore's stature, is significant.
Finally, this case matters because of what it says about the state of college football in 2025.
Michigan just went through the sign-stealing scandal. Now, less than two years later, the program is dealing with a criminal scandal involving its head coach. Moore is the second consecutive Michigan head coach to leave under a cloud.
What does this say about the culture of the program? About the oversight by university administration? About the pressures that drive coaches to make destructive choices?
These are not just Michigan questions. They're questions for the entire sport. College football is bigger than ever, more lucrative than ever, more high-stakes than ever. The NIL era has introduced tens of millions of dollars into the recruiting process. The transfer portal has created year-round roster churn. The pressure on coaches to win now has never been more intense.
In that environment, corners get cut. Rules get bent. And apparently, personal lives can spiral out of control while everyone around looks the other way.
All factual claims in this report are based on publicly available information from reputable sources. Where allegations are made, they are clearly attributed to the source (typically the prosecution at arraignment) and distinguished from proven facts.
This is the beginning of what promises to be a significant case. A historic football program. A historic hire. A historic fall from grace.
Sherrone Moore faces serious charges. He could spend up to five years in prison if convicted of felony home invasion. His coaching career is almost certainly over. His reputation is in tatters.
But he is presumed innocent. He is entitled to his day in court. He is entitled to have the evidence tested, to confront his accusers, to tell his side of the story.
That's what due process looks like. That's what the presumption of innocence means in practice, not in the abstract.
I'll be following this case as it develops. We'll cover the hearings, analyze the legal arguments, and watch to ensure the system operates fairly.
My father, Steven M. Askin, spent his career fighting for due process and constitutional protections. He was twice prosecuted by the system for standing up for those principles. Through Justice Is A Process, I continue that fight by watching the system and holding it accountable.
Whatever you think of Sherrone Moore, whatever he may or may not have done, he deserves a fair process. So does the alleged victim. So does everyone involved.
That's what we'll be watching for.
I'm Steven M. Askin II. This is Justice Is A Process. And we'll see you in court.
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