Apparently, it's 'Nuclear Winter' in the college football world, and the University of Michigan just pushed the red button on the control panel.
The Wolverines on Wednesday announced that the school had terminated, with cause, second-year head coach Sherrone Moore.
Per the University of Michigan's statement:
"U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effectively immediately.
"Following a university investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.
"Biff Poggi has been appointed head football coach in an interim capacity, effective immediately."
Thus, speculation is rampant among agents and coaches for the following very critical component: Will current Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel even make the hire? Or be around to support the new coach, if Manuel is allowed to make the hire?
That's a genuine concern among multiple agents and coaches who spoke Wednesday afternoon with FootballScoop.
While Manuel cannot control the alleged behaviors of Moore, or the refusal of Jim Harbaugh to cooperate with the NCAA, or Connor Stalions massively complex cheating ring, or the need to conduct an investigation into alleged computer crimes as the school's firing former offensive coordinator Matt Weiss, these all are just recent examples of football scandals unfolding at Michigan in an athletics department under Manuel's purview.
Still, Michigan has mega-resources. It has an expansive fan base and one of the sport's cathedral stadiums. It -- or its supporters are not bashful about touting their Name, Image and Likeness capabilities.
See quarterback Bryce Underwood and his reported mega-millions NIL deal.
While Michigan had Moore relatively cheap, at around $6 million and the 40th highest-paid coach in college football per the USA Today Coaches' Salary database, it had reportedly been willing to extend Harbaugh beyond $11 million before his departure to the NFL and subsequent 10-year ban-hammer from the NCAA.
After talking with coaches, agents and industry insiders throughout the sport, FootballScoop compiled this list of potential candidates for the Michigan head coaching job:
Interim head coach Biff Poggi: If Manuel doesn't want to blow things up, Biff is the man to continue forth. That's a big if. Poggi would love the opportunity and would be the best bet and holding the course (if Michigan actually wants to do that). Poggi was a chief lieutenant through many of the Harbaugh years, some view that as a positive, others not necessarily.
Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey: If Michigan wants to stay in house; but go with a clean start, Chip Lindsey could provide that. He hasn't been there long enough to be tarnished; and would love to retain the position for a decade. Having experience as a head coach previously at Troy helps the cause as does his relationship with Bryce Underwood.
Washington head coach Jedd Fisch: A Florida grad and contender for that vacancy before the Gators pried Jon Sumrall away from Tulane, Fisch also has a strong Michigan connection. He was the program's offensive coordinator for two years under Harbaugh in 2015-16, and he's taken two different teams to three consecutive bowls in the past three years. That includes a 10-win season at Arizona that Fisch parlayed into his current post atop Washington Huskies football and an eight-win season this year with the Huskies.
Also, Fisch has no NCAA baggage and deep NFL experience.
Green Bay Packers Offensive Coordinator Adam Stenavich: Also a Michigan man. The former Wolverines offensive lineman, who played under the legendary Lloyd Carr, has surged in profile due to his NFL work as the Green Bay Packers' offensive coordinator in recent years. He's gotten widespread praise for his work in the ongoing development of quarterback Jordan Love, and sources told FootballScoop Wednesday afternoon that Stenavich has steadily maintained being prepared for an opportunity to coach at his alma mater.
He's honed his career under Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur and "is the highest-paid non-play calling" OC anywhere in the NFL. In other words, the Packers value him immensely.
Stenavich has preexisting relationships with a number of NFL and college coaches whom sources believe would have interest in joining him at Michigan; star Indiana quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Chandler Whitmer is a Stenavich connection, and additional offensive names such as budding star offensive play-caller Gordie Sammis, most recently UConn's offensive coordinator and a current target of multiple Power Conference schools, as well as NFL names such as Parks Frazier from the Eagles and Hank Fraley from the Lions, as well as USC co-defensive coordinator Eric Henderson and Carolina Panthers' defensive assistant Pete Hansen, who has in-depth collegiate experience.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer: There's a reason why Penn State made not one but at least two concerted efforts to talk to DeBoer during its just-concluded search, per numerous sources and people at Penn State with direct knowledge.
Fair or not, there's a general sense in the coaching community that DeBoer doesn't particularly love the SEC pressure-cooker as Nick Saban's replacement atop the Crimson Tide.
Plus, DeBoer is a Midwest native from South Dakota. And, per a review of his contract terms, can exit Alabama after this season for relatively little money in the world of college athletics; somewhere around $4-5 million.
Again, also important: DeBoer's reputation is perfectly clean, and he wins everywhere. After guiding Washington into the College Football Playoffs, he's got Alabama back there in Year 2 as the No. 9 seed.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea: Talk about a program-builder with squeaky-clean bona fides and a guy who's done more with less? That's Lea. And before the angst of "Lea just signed an extension at Vanderbilt," note this: two sources told FootballScoop on Wednesday that Lea's new buyout-clause in that revamped Vanderbilt deal is "manageable for Michigan."
Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter: He's coached at Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and most recently in college at Michigan as the team's national title-winning defensive coordinator, Minter grew up in the Midwest -- graduating high school in Indiana and going to college in Cincinnati.
Big question mark? Minter was part of that scandal-laden 2023 staff of Jim Harbaugh and he was handed a one-year show-cause order from the NCAA earlier this year; it runs through 12-31-2025.
Minter's a ball coach, but it feels like Michigan needs not lend any additional ammunition for its recently nefarious ways.
Ex-LSU, ex-Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly: Many people believed Kelly long wanted this job, and he grew to coaching prominence for his work in Michigan at both Central Michigan and NCAA Division II program Grand Valley State.
He won nine games his final year at Central, 33 games his final three seasons at Cincinnati and three times guided Notre Dame to compete for the college football national championship.
Moreover, the 64-year-old Kelly has privately told people in recent weeks, "I've definitely got one more (coaching run) in me."
Said a top former Kelly assistant Wednesday, "A guy like B.K., he ain't gonna give a F if Warde Manuel is there or not. He's gonna run his program."
Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken: He helped Georgia win its back-to-back national championships earlier this decade under Kirby Smart and also had found strong success as a collegiate head coach at perpetually underfunded Southern Miss.
He's been lauded for his work developing quarterbacks at both levels and also has the network to quickly build a strong staff, one that could potentially include his cousin, Army head coach Jeff Monken, in a key role.
Detroit Lions Passing Game Coordinator David Shaw: Long held as an exemplary coaching figure with demanding standards and strong integrity, Shaw nearly won 100 games as Stanford's head coach and guided the program to multiple conference championship appearances and a litany of big wins. He grew up around the game under his father, Willie, a former coach, and also launched his coaching career as an assistant at Western Michigan.
Again: zero skeletons, no NCAA issues and an ability to put together a staff in great haste.
Won't get considered but probably should: Ferris State head coach Tony Annese: In many ways, Annese is football in state of Michigan, where he's coached the sport concurrently for more than 40 years. After starting in the prep ranks, Annese has turned NCAA Division II program Ferris State into one of college football's most enduring programs of dominance at any level. His program has won three of the previous four national championships and remains alive in this year's NCAA Division II Playoffs. Get this: He's won 150 games and lost just 21 times at the NCAA D-II level.