A University of Michigan football staff member, reportedly connected to the dismissal of Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore, received a pay increase of nearly $41,000 from 2023 to this season, as revealed by documents examined by the Daily Mail.

The university finds itself entangled in the controversy surrounding Moore, who was terminated due to allegations of an ‘inappropriate relationship with a staffer.’ Subsequently, Moore faced arrest by Michigan authorities. Though he has yet to face formal charges, 911 calls allege Moore assaulted a woman in her home following a prolonged period of stalking. Moore, a married father of three, is at the center of this scandal.

Currently held at Washtenaw County Jail, Moore is not anticipated to face charges on Thursday, according to a spokesperson from the prosecutor’s office, as reported by the Daily Mail. His arraignment is now slated for Friday, according to Pittsfield police.

Meanwhile, records reveal that the staff member’s salary saw a dramatic 70.6% increase, climbing from $58,025 in 2022 and 2023 to $99,000 in 2025, despite no official changes to her job title.

The Daily Mail has opted not to disclose the identity of the staffer alleged to be involved with Moore. Moore has been married to his wife, Kelli, since 2015, and they share three daughters.

Moore was fired over what was described as an ‘inappropriate relationship with a staffer’

Her pay raise was not funded by the public because the school’s athletic department does not receive any tax revenue from the state budget. Instead, Michigan’s athletic department is paid for by media deals, ticket sales, donations, sponsorships and various licensing agreements. 

The salary bump increase raises more questions about Moore, who had been considered among the brightest young coaches in football before his firing. 

A Pittsfield Police Department spokesman only said on Thursday that he was ‘involved in an incident Wednesday that required police attention.’ 

Former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh hired Moore at the school in 2018. Harbaugh would go on to lead the Wolverines to a national title in 2023 before taking the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers job the following year and being replaced by Moore in Ann Arbor. 

Interestingly, the 39-year-old Moore is the sixth Harbaugh hire to find himself in trouble with the law at Michigan.

Ex-Wolverines offensive coordinator Matt Weiss was accused by federal prosecutors of stealing private, intimate images of student athletes and ultimately charged with hacking. He has pleaded not guilty to all 24 charges in the case as he faces multiple class-action lawsuits over the allegations.

Other Wolverines coaches, such as assistants Denard Robinson and Greg Scruggs, were arrested for allegedly driving drunk, as were director of football operations Jim Minick and director of performance science Fergus Connolly.

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

Moore took over from Jim Harbaugh after he left for the Los Angeles Chargers job. Moore served as interim coach for Harbaugh amid a pair of scandals in the 2023 season.

The timing of Moore’s dismissal leaves Michigan football in a precarious situation.

The Wolverines accepted a Citrus Bowl bid to play No. 13 Texas on December 31. But while associate head coach Biff Poggi has been elevated to interim head coach in the wake of Moore’s firing, that still leaves the program without a true head coach at the height of recruiting season.

The transfer portal will open for 15 days in early January and national signing day is February 4, leaving Michigan with precious little time to build a team that can compete with Big Ten rivals like Ohio State and Indiana. 

Moore’s salary started at $5.5 million in 2024 and reached $6.1 million this season with various incentives.

Of course, any hope Moore had for a buyout was likely squandered when the school fired him for cause.

‘Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member,’ Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel wrote in a statement. ‘This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.’

Although Moore proved himself as an assistant coach at Louisville and Central Michigan, it was in Ann Arbor where he became a rising star in the sport, beginning in 2023.

It was that season when Harbaugh was suspended in the midst of recruiting violations as well as a sign-stealing scandal. Moore served as interim head coach and led the Wolverines to victory in all four contests before Harbaugh returned to lead Michigan to its first national title since 1997.

After Harbaugh left at the conclusion of Michigan’s 2023 national championship-winning season, Moore was elevated to full-time head coach.

The firing may lead to some Michigan players, like quarterback Bryce Underwood, transferring

The Wolverines went 8-5 under Moore in his first season – beating rivals Ohio State and winning the ReliaQuest Bowl.

This year, while they couldn’t beat Ohio State, Michigan still improved to a 9-3 record.

However, Moore was suspended for two games after he was found to have deleted text messages sent to Connor Stalions – the former Michigan analyst at the center of the aforementioned sign-stealing scandal.

Moore is just the latest big-name coach to get the axe this season, following turnover at LSU, Ole Miss, Florida, Penn State, UCLA, Virginia Tech and rival Michigan State.

Unless Michigan can lure an NFL coach to Ann Arbor, or perhaps someone leading another top program, the Wolverines will have a limited candidate pool to work with heading into the 2026 season.

There is also a danger that Michigan stars, such as quarterback Bryce Underwood, could opt to transfer rather than waiting for a new coach to be hired by Manuel.