Michigan OC Sherrone Moore emerges as potential candidate for Northwestern head coach opening

Now that Pat Fitzgerald is out as Northwestern head coach, the Wildcats now find themselves starting a coaching search in the middle of July. Less than a day after Fitzgerald’s firing, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman dropped an interesting name who could be in the mix to replace him as part of his initial list of potential candidates: Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore.

Moore was the Wolverines’ co-offensive coordinator the last two seasons, but is currently preparing to take the reins on his own in 2023. He also serves as the offensive line coach, helping turn Michigan’s unit into the best in the country. The Wolverines have won the last two Joe Moore Awards as the top offensive line in the country, becoming the first program to achieve back-to-back honors.

Moore got his coaching start in 2009 as a graduate assistant at Louisville and became the Cardinals’ tight ends coach in 2012. He then took the same role at Central Michigan in 2013 and added two titles — assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator — from 2014-17. Michigan hired him in 2018 and promoted him to co-offensive coordinator alongside Josh Gattis in 2021 and Matt Weiss in 2022. After Weiss’ firing in February, Sherrone Moore became the sole offensive coordinator on Jim Harbaugh’s staff.

Northwestern president Michael Schill: The decision to suspend and ultimately fire Pat Fitzgerald ‘was mine and mine alone’

Fitzgerald was at the helm at Northwestern — his alma mater — for 17 years and became the winningest coach in program history. He was fired as a result of a hazing scandal within the program which saw him initially receive a two-week suspension without pay. Ultimately, though, Northwestern president Michael Schill re-evaluated that suspension and made the decision to fire Fitzgerald Monday afternoon.

“The decision comes after a difficult and complex evaluation of my original discipline decision imposed last week on Coach Fitzgerald for his failure to know and prevent significant hazing in the football program,” Schill said in a lengthy statement. “Over the last 72 hours, I have spent a great deal of time in thought and in discussions with people who love our University — the Chair and members of our Board of Trustees, faculty leadership, students, alumni and Coach Fitzgerald himself.

“I have also received many phone calls, text messages and emails from those I know, and those I don’t, sharing their thoughts. While I am appreciative of the feedback and considered it in my decision-making, ultimately, the decision to originally suspend Coach Fitzgerald was mine and mine alone, as is the decision to part ways with him.”