Michigan AD Warde Manuel Seeks Steadiness Amid Scandals
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- Warde Manuel has served as Michigan's athletic director since January 2016 and now emphasizes "steadiness" after a period of both triumphs and scandals.
- Michigan won three straight Big Ten football titles, a national football championship, and the men's basketball national championship in April — its first since 1989.
- NCAA imposed probation and more than $20 million in penalties on Michigan in August, along with show‑cause orders for former staff Connor Stalions and coach Jim Harbaugh, and a suspension for coach Sherrone Moore.
- Sherrone Moore was fired in December over an alleged inappropriate relationship, then arrested and charged with a felony and two misdemeanors; he later pleaded no contest to the misdemeanors and received probation.
- Matt Weiss was indicted in March 2025 on 14 counts of unauthorized computer access and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft for hacking thousands of college athletes' accounts.
Why it matters: Michigan's athletic program faces $20 million in NCAA penalties, threatening its budget and reputation, while Manuel's push for steadiness aims to stabilize recruiting and donor confidence.
