Sherrone Moore’s suspension smells of strategic damage control

The University of Michigan isn’t just calling audibles on the field, it’s doing it behind closed doors, too. As college football braces for yet another controversy-filled season, the Wolverines have issued a self-imposed two-game suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore. But this move feels less like discipline and more like a calculated distraction. The timing, conveniently placed during low-risk matchups, raises eyebrows and signals that Michigan might be more concerned with optics than true accountability.

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Michigan announced it will suspend Moore for two games, not to start the season, but right in the softest part of their schedule. He’ll sit out Week 3 and Week 4 against Central Michigan and Nebraska, conveniently steering clear of any high-stakes matchups. He’ll be free to coach against Oklahoma and New Mexico, the latter being especially notable considering Moore’s own playing history at Oklahoma. That’s not coincidence, that’s choreography.

The reason behind the suspension is allegedly deleting a 52-message text chain with former staffer Connor Stalions, the central figure in a brewing sign-stealing scandal. The deletion reportedly took place the same day the scandal hit the headlines. If that doesn’t raise a red flag, nothing will.

The move looks less like accountability and more like a smokescreen. Michigan’s athletic department isn’t denying wrongdoing, they’re just hoping to control the narrative before the NCAA does. But this isn’t damage control; it’s damage delay.

The silence from the NCAA so far is deafening, but it won’t last. They’re watching. And if Michigan thinks it can run the clock out on this investigation with a couple of sacrificial Saturdays, they may be in for a rude awakening.

This is the same program that suspended Jim Harbaugh for three games last year while letting him coach practices like nothing ever happened. The playbook hasn’t changed, only the names have. Moore’s absence won’t change Michigan’s win-loss column much, but it says volumes about what the program values: appearance over integrity. While players chase trophies, leadership seems more focused on staying one step ahead of a scandal that’s catching up fast.

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This isn’t just about one assistant coach or a few deleted texts. It’s about a culture that seems increasingly willing to trade ethics for edge. And unless someone blows the whistle loud enough, don’t expect Michigan to stop calling its own penalties.

The scoreboard might not show it yet, but Michigan is already taking losses off the field, and in plain sight.

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