Just a few days earlier, there was talk that Sherrone Moore could be out if Michigan failed to reach the playoffs. The Wolverines wrapped up the regular season with a 9-3 record. After taking over for Jim Harbaugh, Moore posted an 18-8 record during his stint as Michigan’s head coach.
Instead of waiting for another year, the Wolverines fired Moore on Wednesday for cause. Following his dismissal, several potential names have already popped up in the discussion.
Michigan Might Target College Football Playoff Coach as Potential Sherrone Moore Replacement
ESPN Baton Rouge’s Matt Moscona is among those who have sparked discussion about Kalen DeBoer’s potential as the next Michigan head coach.
“I got a call Saturday that Sherrone Moore was going to be fired for cause due to an inappropriate relationship. Not sure I believed it- I hear wild rumors all the time. Well, this person was right. The person also mentioned Michigan would target Kalen DeBoer as Moore’s replacement. Take that FWIW. But he already got the more incredible part of the story correct,” Moscona posted.
NBC Sports college football insider Nicole Auerbach also listed DeBoer as the clear top candidate for Michigan. Meanwhile, Outkick’s Clay Travis floated a more extreme scenario. “We need Kalen DeBoer to leave for Michigan and then Lane Kiffin to leave LSU for Alabama before he coaches a game to really take the insanity to the next level,” Travis tweeted.
It is wild to imagine Kiffin will be leaving LSU for Alabama even before starting his first season with the Tigers. His exit from Ole Miss just before the Rebels’ exit has already earned jabs from many fans and analysts.
However, DeBoer’s move to Michigan seems more straightforward. With Alabama currently the No. 9 seed in the College Football Playoff, DeBoer’s primary focus is on the Crimson Tide’s playoff run, but an early exit might just make him consider the Michigan position.
DeBoer also has strong Midwestern ties, having served as Eastern Michigan’s offensive coordinator from 2014-16. Multiple other things also click perfectly in this discussion.
As per ESPN’s report, Alabama had paid Washington a $12 million buyout to hire DeBoer in January 2024. If he leaves the Crimson Tide, his buyouts would be $4 million this year and $3 million in 2026.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Michigan would ideally like to have its next head coach in place by Jan. 2, when the transfer portal opens.
“DeBoer will surely be a factor in the Michigan search, sources have told On3,” Nakos wrote. “He has consistently won as an FBS head coach, bringing Washington to a CFP title game berth and now having Alabama in the playoff in his second season in Tuscaloosa. He would have been a popular name at Michigan when Sherrone Moore was hired, but he accepted the Alabama job before the Wolverines were in the market.”
There were rumors linking DeBoer to Penn State after James Franklin’s firing, but the Nittany Lions ultimately hired Iowa State’s Matt Campbell.
