In his blue and maize apparel, Sherrone Moore stood victorious at Beaver Stadium as his emotion — full of tears and profanity — was broadcasted on national television.
Beneath his passion was the announcement of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh’s three-game suspension amid an ongoing investigation into an alleged sign-stealing operation around 24 hours earlier and Judge Tim Connors’ last-minute decision Saturday not to make a ruling granting Harbaugh a temporary restraining order in time to coach on the sideline.
Over 15 years ago, Moore was helping Oklahoma win two Big 12 conference championships and advance to two Bowl Championship Series bowl games as an offensive guard under then-head coach Bob Stoops.
Now, the 37-year-old who once made the jump from junior college football to playing 14 games for the Sooners and has served as the Wolverines’ offensive coordinator this season now is 2-0 as the program’s interim following a 24-15 win at Penn State and a 31-6 home win over Bowling Green on Sept. 16.
Taking advantage of opportunities he earns and filling big shoes isn’t unfamiliar to Moore. Just ask a few of his former OU teammates who watched his transition from Butler Community College in Kansas, and how he carved a role out for himself at what was then a perennial national-title contending program.
“He came into the rotation and he just played his role,” said Branndon Braxton, a teammate of Moore’s at Oklahoma. “He did his job to the best of his ability. He wasn't a guy that made excuses. He showed up every day and did what it took. He was very in tune with everything that was going on. He was a hard worker. He gave everything he had day in and day out.
“So it doesn't surprise me that he was emotional about the things that happened. His first coming out as the head coach, I think I’d be pretty emotional myself. I heard that he said some things that he could have probably cleaned up but, I wouldn’t say it's fair to judge him off that, Sherrone’s a good guy.”
Chris Messner, another one of Moore’s Sooner teammates, wasn’t shocked to see him find success so quickly either.
“I think it speaks to how much he has invested in that team,” Messner said. “Just like in our playing days, you always want to see everybody around you succeed, the team especially. And so for him to, just like when he was playing at OU, for him to be able to step up into a role whether he thinks he's ready or not.
“Get a chance to help the team out, help the organization out with all that’s going on and they don't really deviate from the success that they're striving for. I think that's a huge thing. And I could see why anybody would be emotional. I mean, just hearing about it makes me emotional. So it's really outstanding.”
Moore’s postgame interview with Jenny Taft went viral on social media over the weekend and led to jokes about the Federal Communications Commission’s violation for cursing on national television, as well as how emotional Michigan coaches and players were about winning without their head coach.
When Messner saw videos flooding his phone, he was taken back to his college days. The Moore the nation was introduced to in that moment was who he was as a football player, always wearing his emotions on his sleeve.
“I was overjoyed,” Messner said. “Sheronne, going back to when we played together, he was always an upbeat, never having a bad day kind of guy. He loved to have fun in the locker room and he was always very driven to do things the right way. And so seeing him have success at the level that he's at, I mean, I'm over the moon for him. It's quite beautiful.”
When Moore arrived in Norman, former four- and five-star recruits worked out next to him. Under Stoops’ tutelage, OU produced high-level offensive line talent.
Moore didn’t walk in with the promise of a starting spot, he had to work harder than most to earn playing time. The love Michigan players have for him is the same admiration he gained from his college teammates.
“I know there were times that he would have to,” Messner says, “whether it was stepping into the two deep, or he had to fill in for somebody, he always did with a great attitude. … He was always very passionate, he was always having a good time.
“Some of my fondest memories were, before practice, we were always looking for ways to make practice enjoyable and he was always one of the ones, either before or after practice, that were having a good time and made it feel like a fun place to be.”
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Oklahoma in 2008, Moore entered coaching. He has been part of Harbuagh’s staff since 2018, coaching tight ends before being promoted to co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach and finally, offensive coordinator.
The unselfishness on display during one of the most successful moments of his coaching career was telling. Not only did it show off the person Moore is, but his unwavering loyalty to Harbaugh, who gave him this chance.
“Sherrone has always been a good guy,” Braxton said. “He's always been a team-first guy. I've never known him to be a selfish guy. He's more of a selfless guy. He does the small things right. That amounts up to the big things, I'm not surprised that he is where he is. I hope that he keeps going. I hope that he continues to bring more success to himself and the people around him and I'm just excited for him.”
Moore’s meteoric rise through the coaching ranks isn’t shocking to those who know him.
During a recent visit to Tulsa, head coach Kevin Wilson, who coached the two during his nine-year stint with the Sooners, told Braxton he wouldn’t be surprised if Moore was one of the country’s next big-ticket head coaching hires.
He’s been rumored in the past as Harbaugh’s successor with the Wolverines if the former NFL coach decides to return to the pro ranks or retire. On Sunday, when Texas A&M fired Jimbo Fisher, Moore’s name showed up on a few candidate lists for that job.
“It wasn't a surprise,” Braxton said. “ … I think he's done enough to be up to the job. I think he's a hard worker. I think he earned it.
“ … I didn't know that he was going to be into coaching, but I just knew that whatever he did, he would be great at it because he worked hard.”
Those who know him dating back to his time at OU, know he was ready for his shining moment. Whether it was being the first person to offer teammates rides home after practice, standing up for a player in the locker room or jumping into scout team drills, Moore has been preparing for this moment his entire life.
Whatever happens the rest of the season at Michigan, Moore will be prepared — equipped with his signature fervor that he displayed on Saturday — like he always is.
“He was always on point,” Braxton said. “He was always ready to go.
“There weren’t any times at all that I can remember when he wasn’t that guy.”
