When Sherrone Moore leads his Michigan Wolverines onto the field against Oklahoma, it will be a true homecoming. Moore, who played offensive line for the Sooners from 2006-2007 and was a part of two Big 12 Championship teams, returns to Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium but as head coach of the opposition.
The narrative of a former player returning to face his alma mater is a powerful one in sports, and for Moore, it completes a remarkable career arc. He was once an undersized offensive lineman at Oklahoma, and now, he is the head coach of a college football powerhouse.
The matchup between Michigan and Oklahoma will be an intersection of Moore's career.
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Did Sherrone Moore play college football?
Moore played four seasons of college football, first with Butler Community College for two seasons. Then, he transferred to Oklahoma ahead of the 2006 season.
Throughout two seasons at Oklahoma, Moore appeared in 14 games for the Sooners, who won back-to-back Big 12 titles in 2006 and 2007. In both seasons, the Sooners lost in the Fiesta Bowl, first to Boise State — who tied the game on an infamous hook and lateral play — and then to West Virginia.
What position did Sherrone Moore play?
While at Oklahoma, Moore was featured as an offensive guard. He blocked for both Paul Thompson and Sam Bradford, who each led the Sooners to an 11-3 overall record.
Sherrone Moore coaching career
Before his time at Michigan, Moore had stints at Louisville as a graduate and full-time assistant and Central Michigan as a tight ends coach. In 2017, he was named Central Michigan's assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator.
In January 2018, Moore was hired by Michigan to be the Wolverines' tight end coach. He held that role for three seasons, then was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2021. Michigan's offensive line won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in the country in both 2021 and 2022, appearing in the College Football Playoff both years.
In 2023, Michigan imposed a one-game suspension for Moore, along with a three-game suspension for head coach Jim Harbaugh, due to recruiting violations. In Harbaugh's absence, Moore was the acting head coach, getting his first win against Bowling Green in September 2023. Harbaugh was suspended later in the season by the Big Ten Conference, and with Moore at the helm, No. 2 Michigan beat No. 9 Penn State in Happy Valley. Michigan would go on to win the National Championship, and Moore was named a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant coach in college football in 2023.
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After that season, Harbaugh left for the NFL, taking the job as the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach. Moore was named the 21st head coach in Michigan history. In his first season, he led the Wolverines to an 8-5 record, including a final stretch that included upsetting arch-rival Ohio State in Columbus and a ReliaQuest Bowl win over Alabama. With those two wins, Michigan became the first team since 1978 to win back-to-back games as double-digit underdogs.