ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014It was business as usual for Warde Manuel the last couple of weeks, helping lead Michigan\u2019s search for a new head football coach.<\/p>\n
While the school hired executive search firm TurnkeyZRG to compile and vet a list of candidates, it was Manuel who ultimately recommended the hire of 66-year-old Kyle Whittingham on Friday. In a conversation with The Ann Arbor News\/ MLive on Sunday, Manuel said he began to zero in on Whittingham about a week ago before issuing his recommendation to interim president Domenico Grasso for final approval. Michigan\u2019s board of regents were also looped in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was the one who presented it to the president as the candidate,\u201d Manuel said Sunday. \u201cHe agreed with that choice, and we\u2019re here today.\u201d<\/p>\n
The move came after Manuel fired former football coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10 for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. It was the latest hit for a Michigan football program facing major scrutiny in recent years, from NCAA violations and probation to fines totaling tens of millions of dollars and coaches arrested. Moore was just the latest, charged with third-degree home invasion, stalking and breaking and entering following an incident at the staffer\u2019s residence.<\/p>\n
Manuel promoted Moore to head football coach in January 2024, touting his success as offensive coordinator, recruiter and interim head coach during Jim Harbaugh\u2019s absences in 2023. He called it hard move personally, but the right one professionally.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve known him for seven or eight years,\u201d Manuel said. \u201cIt was difficult to see him as a person to go through what he went through. But professionally, it was an easy decision to make because of the expectations that we have for everyone our staff.\u201d<\/p>\n