Michigan’s interim football coach, Biff Poggi, has addressed the recent upheaval within the team following the controversy surrounding former head coach Sherrone Moore.

Moore, aged 39, was dismissed by the Wolverines last Wednesday after an investigation revealed his involvement in an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a staff member.

The situation took a dramatic turn when, later that evening, the married father of three was taken into custody for allegedly entering his assistant’s home, terrorizing an unidentified woman, and threatening self-harm after his dismissal due to the affair.

“It’s been a chaotic period,” Poggi shared with ESPN. “Initially, there was disbelief, followed by anger. Now, the kids, honestly, feel deeply betrayed, and we’re working through that emotional process.”

During a media session for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Poggi discussed how the players are managing in light of the scandal, with the upcoming game just over two weeks away.

Michigan interim football coach Biff Poggi has spoken out on the ‘turbulent time’

Sherrone Moore was dismissed after it emerged that he allegedly had an affair with a staffer

He said he has tried to help players with ‘lots of arms around shoulders, lot of listening, lot of telling them that you love them, but showing it, because words are cheap, and that takes a lot of time. What it really takes is you being willing to listen.’ 

He admitted that there was no playbook to follow in situations like this, but insisted that the focus had remained on the players and their families. 

‘I don’t know that you can prepare for something like this,’ Poggi said. ‘It’s been complicated. I want to listen to them. I want to understand what the kids are feeling and what their parents are feeling, and so a lot of listening, and there’s been a wide range of emotions, and we are going through those steps. 

‘They’re not over yet, and I don’t expect them to be over for a while. The mandate that Warde Manuel gave me as the athletic director when he asked me to be the interim coach, was to love and take care of the kids, and so that’s what I’m spending all of my time doing.’

He also revealed that he had held discussions with players over whether they wanted to play or to opt out of the Bowl game, insisting that it was a personal decision for each one of them. 

Poggi took the helm in the wake of Moore’s dismissal after previously serving as interim head coach earlier in the season for games against Central Michigan and Nebraska while Moore was serving a suspension as part of self-imposed sanctions for NCAA violations related to the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal.

He re-joined Michigan in February as associate head coach after spending two seasons as head coach of Charlotte. 

Michigan is said to have fired Moore after it emerged that he had engaged in an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a staffer following an investigation.

Former head coach Moore, 39, was arrested just hours after being fired by the Wolverines 

Moore was pictured with his wife Kelli leaving the offices of his lawyer on Sunday 

The probe initially found no evidence of a relationship as both Moore and the woman denied the claim, according to reports.

The woman in question ultimately contacted the firm on Wednesday to change her story. The school responded to this change in testimony by firing Moore, according to the Wall Street Journal, which did not identify the woman by name.

As of Friday evening – two days on from Moore’s dismissal and subsequent arrest – the staffer alleged to be his mistress is reportedly still employed by the school. 

Michigan has since launched a fresh investigation, hiring Jenner & Block, the Chicago-based law firm that opened the previous inquiry into Moore’s conduct. 

While Moore’s dismissal will be a primary focus of the investigation, the wide-scoping inquiry will reportedly examine the numerous scandals that the school’s athletic programs have endured in recent years, including how they came about and how they were handled.

On Friday, Moore was charged with breaking and entering, home invasion and stalking at his arraignment in Washtenaw County, just days after allegedly entering his assistant’s apartment, terrorizing an unnamed woman and threatening to harm himself in the wake of his firing over the affair.

Prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said Moore and the woman had been engaged in an ‘intimate relationship’ for a number of years. Magistrate Odetalla M Odetalla forbade the court from identifying the alleged victim. The 911 call that led to Moore’s arrest was made from an apartment belonging to his executive assistant, Paige Shiver.

Pittsfield, Michigan police and Washtenaw County prosecutors claimed the uninvited Moore entered a residence unarmed through an unlocked door and ‘engaged in a verbal argument with the victim that escalated.’ From there, he allegedly grabbed two butter knives and a pair of scissors while threatening to harm himself.

The 911 call that led to Moore’s arrest was made from an apartment belonging to his executive assistant, Paige Shiver (pictured)

Moore has been married to his wife, Kelli, since 2015. They have three daughters together

‘I’m going to kill myself,’ Moore told the alleged victim, as claimed by assistant prosecutor Kati Rezmierski on Friday. ‘I’m going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life.’

Moore allegedly fled the residence before police could arrive. He was ultimately arrested Wednesday evening at a church parking lot in a neighboring town. After his arraignment on Friday, he has bonded out of custody, court records state.

If convicted on all counts, Moore could face up to six-and-a-half years in jail and as much as $3,500 in fines, according to Washtenaw County’s Friday statement.

He was granted a $25,00 bond and ordered to wear a GPS device while continuing to undergo mental health treatment. His next court appearance is January 22.