It seems as though Michigan has a timeline in place to hire its full-time football coach to replace the fired Sherrone Moore.
Per Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press — part of the USA TODAY Network — Biff Poggi said on Monday, Dec. 22 that athletic director Warde Manuel told the team he hopes to have a new coach in place between Christmas and the Wolverines’ bowl game.
Poggi will lead Michigan in the Citrus Bowl vs. Texas on Dec. 31.
Michigan fired Moore on Dec. 10 after the university found ‘credible evidence’ he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. Moore was arrested on the same day and later charged with home invasion, stalking, and breaking and entering on Dec. 12.
Michigan’s search to hire a full-time replacement for Moore has quickly become the dominant storyline of what had already been an active coaching carousel this season. Multiple names had been floated to replace Moore, including Washington coach Jedd Fisch, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham and, perhaps most notably, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer.
Michigan has reason to move quickly in its coaching search: The NCAA’s 15-day transfer portal window will be open from Jan. 2-16. However, NCAA rules also allow for a separate 15-day transfer window for players on a team whose coach has been fired. The portal opens five days after the hiring of a new full-time coach.
If the Wolverines can hire a coach in Manuel’s preferred timeline, they can avoid a separate 15-day window for players to transfer from the program.
However, the timing also seems to preclude one of the top options to take over at Michigan, as DeBoer will lead the Crimson Tide in the CFP Rose Bowl quarterfinal vs. No. 1 Indiana on New Year’s Day. Dillingham has also agreed to a contract extension.