Of all the ways Michigan’s season could end, Sherrone Moore’s being fired for cause was definitely not on the list. Ann Arbor was flipped upside down on December 10, when Michigan fired Moore for cause, and he was later taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with home invasion and stalking, among other counts. It was truly a bizarre turn of events that shocked a lot of Michigan fans. But according to sources from UM, this was not the first time they saw Moore behave like that.

This scandal seems to be just as bad as the sign-stealing controversy. After all, Moore’s surprising dismissal didn’t have a lot to do with his coaching responsibilities. But as more reporting surfaced, it raised a different question: how long concerns about Moore’s behavior had been circulating inside the program before the public fallout. Not only did he barge into the woman he was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with, but he also threatened suicide, blaming her for it. That’s what caught the whole community off guard. Michigan staffers, however, were no strangers to this suspicious behavior.

“Moore would break down sobbing in staff meetings and lash out at other coaches, according to three program sources who witnessed the behavior,” Bruce Feldman wrote for The Athletic. “He was seen eavesdropping on closed-door meetings inside Schembechler Hall, one of those people said, and fellow staff members became concerned about his mental state.”

Multiple reports indicate the university began looking into the matter after receiving information internally, including an anonymous tip, and later escalated the process. A high-level Michigan booster told CBS Sports that Schembechler Hall was “swarming with lawyers.” UM human resources had received an anonymous tip about Moore’s alleged relationship with the staffer during the latter part of the season. All of this implies that Moore and Michigan knew that hell was going to break loose at Ann Arbor.

Aside from these third-person accounts, Michigan staffers also narrate some red-flag-raising interactions with Moore. Some told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Moore had not only been “acting strange,” but he was also “berating assistant coaches.” A mood of unease had gripped Ann Arbor a long time ago. Even players had caught wind of their coach’s serious violation of Michigan rules. Sherrone Moore had become an unpopular figure within his own program, threatening Michigan’s image from the inside out.

With every new piece of information that comes out of this scandal, it becomes clearer that this is a dark, twisted saga. And all of this begs to ask, what was Michigan Athletics doing this whole time?

Warde Manuel was informed about Sherrone Moore’s issues only days before his firing

Michigan fans have also been skeptical about Warde Manuel’s handling of the issue. Though this kind of behavior was a shocker to the larger public, a lot of intel has already revealed that Michigan knew about who they were dealing with. But CBS News Detroit revealed that Warde Manuel was formally notified of Moore’s suspected mental health issues only a few days before the latter’s dismissal. Alarmingly enough, this was by way of big-name Michigan donors.

Manuel ultimately landed the final blow on Moore in a closed-door meeting, with only the two of them present. Michigan has never hinted at any issues with Sherrone Moore’s mental state or personal conduct being a factor behind his dismissal.

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“This was the worst-kept secret,” one UM source told CBS News Detroit.

Nobody could have imagined Moore’s career coming to an end on such a controversial note. At the time of his hiring, Manuel admitted that he interviewed only Moore for the job, despite having surveyed the carousel. Now, his much-heralded hire has left a stain so problematic that it continues to get darker with every new detail.