A new man is in charge of Michigan football as it begins its national title defense.

Sherrone Moore was promoted from offensive coordinator and offensive line coach to head coach just two days after Jim Harbaugh left the post to take the head coaching job for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Moore, 38, is in his first head coaching position and has big shoes to fill as the Wolverines enter 2024 as the defending national champions and Big Ten conference champions for the past three seasons.

Moore was the clear choice after he stepped in to guide Michigan to three straight wins, including two top-10 wins, to close the 2023 season as the interim coach filling in for Harbaugh while he served his second three-game suspension of the season. The consistent dominance of the offensive line under Moore in recent seasons helped.

He is the first full-time Black head coach in Michigan football history. Running backs coach Mike Hart became the first Black man to serve as head coach when he was the interim in the second half of U-M's Week 2 win over UNLV last year, and Moore led the charge the following week against Bowling Green and to close the season.

Here is more information on Sherrone Moore, the Wolverines' new head football coach.

READ MORE: Sherrone Moore is starting the season without a contract

Sherrone Moore contract, salary at Michigan

According to the memorandum of understanding obtained by USA TODAY, Moore has a five-year deal worth $6 million per season: $500,000 in base salary, a $500,000 retention bonus if employed for the entire contract year, and $5 million in "additional compensation," which is to increase by 2% ($100,000) each subsequent year.

However, as of Wednesday of game week, that contract had yet to be fully executed according to USA TODAY — leaving Moore in a state of contractual limbo entering his full-time head coaching debut vs. Fresno State.

An athletic department spokesperson for Michigan confirmed this week Moore is not yet under contract. He's one of a handful of Football Bowl Subdivision coaches who do not have a finalized contract.

Moore is still working under a three-page memorandum of understanding document he signed in January upon his hiring.

Sherrone Moore potential NCAA trouble

Moore was one of seven Michigan football staffers from the 2023 team named in the NCAA's Notice of Allegations relating to the Wolverines' alleged sign-stealing operation. Moore allegedly deleted 52 text messages with Connor Stalions, a Level II NCAA violation, the same day Stalions was reported to be the ringleader of the sign-stealing operation.

Moore, along with Harbaugh, could be considered a repeat offender by the NCAA because he was named in Michigan's COVID-era recruiting violations, a separate NCAA investigation, and served a one-game suspension levied by the school at the start of last season.

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Sherrone Moore's Michigan tenure

Harbaugh hired Moore as U-M's tight ends coach in 2018 after serving in the same role on Central Michigan's staff. After coaching the tight ends for three seasons, Moore was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2021.

He shared the coordinator responsibilities with Josh Gattis in 2021, then Matt Weiss in 2022 before taking over sole coordinator responsibilities in addition to coaching the line in 2023 following Weiss' firing.

In Moore's two seasons as the offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator, the Wolverines won the Joe Moore Award for the nation's top blocking unit after Michigan produced two rushers above or near 1,000 yards in both seasons. In 2021, Michigan's offense averaged 35.8 points per game (16th in the country) and rushed for 214.4 yards per game. In 2022, the scoring average jumped to 40.4 points per game (sixth) while running for 238.9 yards per game.

Last year as the sole coordinator and interim coach for four games, Moore led another efficient smashmouth offense that averaged 35.9 points (14th) and ran for 169.1 yards per game.

Moore made a name for himself while filling in for Harbaugh on the road against Penn State, a top-10 matchup, and buried the Nittany Lions with 32 straight run calls in the second half, then followed it up two weeks later with U-M's third straight win over rival Ohio State to determine the Big Ten East winner.

Six U-M offensive linemen who had a hand in those offenses declared for the NFL draft after the 2023 season, with four drafted, along with running back Blake Corum, and two signing as UDFAs. Eight U-M offensive players got drafted, starting with J.J. McCarthy going 10th overall to the Minnesota Vikings.

Moore will have a new-look coaching staff around him after four assistants from U-M's 2023 team — Jesse Minter, Mike Elston, Ben Herbert and Jay Harbaugh — either followed Harbaugh or took a different NFL job, leaving Moore to fill those spots plus his vacancy at offensive coordinator.

Kirk Campbell was named as Moore's coordinator replacement on offense, while longtime NFL play-caller Wink Martindale was given the keys to the defense.

Sherrone Moore previous coaching stops, playing career

Moore was a fast riser through the collegiate coaching ranks after his career as an offensive lineman for Oklahoma ended. Moore played two years at a community college in Kansas before transferring to the Sooners and playing two seasons in 2006-07.

In 2009, Moore joined Louisville as a graduate assistant, a role he served in for three seasons. He was elevated to tight ends coach in 2012-13, where he helped the Cardinals to a 23-3 record over two seasons.

In 2014, he became the tight ends coach for Central Michigan, along with being named the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. He worked with the Chippewas through 2017 until he joined Michigan.

Michigan football recruiting under Sherrone Moore

Moore's hiring came after the majority of the 2024 class had signed its letter of intent on early national signing day in December while Harbaugh was still in charge. But things haven't slowed down whatsoever for Moore this summer.

Michigan landed nine transfers while the portal was open in the offseason, including five Power Four transfers and three within the Big Ten: former MSU defensive back Jaden Mangham, former Maryland linebacker Jaishawn Barham and Northwestern offensive lineman Josh Priebe.

Michigan's 2025 recruiting class currently ranks 13th in the country with 16 hard commits, including seven four-star recruits and nine three-star recruits, according to the 247Sports composite ranking.

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press covering the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22, and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who is Sherrone Moore? What to know on Michigan football new coach