Ex-Michigan coach Moore avoids jail in sentencing

Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was sentenced to 18 months probation Tuesday for misdemeanors related to a confrontation with his executive assistant soon after Moore's firing for having an inappropriate relationship with her.

Moore pleaded no contest in March to trespassing and malicious use of a telecom device. Though the maximum possible penalty was six months in jail, Moore had no previous criminal record and the District Court Judge Cedric Simpson opted to keep him out of custody during Tuesday's sentencing in Washtenaw County Court.

In a stunning dismissal at one of college football's most prestigious programs, Moore, 40, was fired on Dec. 10 after leading the Wolverines for two seasons following the departure of head coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL.

Moore was accused that same day of confronting the woman with whom he had been having an affair and blaming her for his firing, even threatening to kill himself with butter knives in her apartment. Authorities said the woman had ended the affair and spoken to school officials about it.

Moore was charged with felony home invasion and two additional charges. But Washtenaw County prosecutors agreed to a deal in which he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors. The felony charge was dropped.

The agreement came after defense lawyer Ellen Michaels planned to aggressively challenge how police gathered information to get an arrest warrant.

Moore did not harm himself and was peacefully arrested in a parking lot away from the woman's apartment.

Prior to becoming head coach, Moore was hired as the Wolverines' tight ends coach in 2018, eventually rose to the position of offensive coordinator and helped lead the team to the 2023 national championship.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.