Home / Sports / Michigan AD Manuel Steps Down Amid Turmoil
Michigan AD Manuel Steps Down Amid Turmoil
20 Jul
Summary
- Michigan AD Warde Manuel will step down following the 2026-27 academic year.
- An outside investigation into the athletics department's culture preceded his departure.
- Significant successes occurred during his tenure, including a football championship.
Warde Manuel, the Director of Athletics at the University of Michigan, will step down at the end of the 2026-27 academic year. This decision follows an external investigation scrutinizing the culture within the athletics department. The investigation was initiated following the dismissal of former football coach Sherrone Moore in December 2025 for an improper relationship and subsequent dishonesty.
Manuel himself became a focal point of the inquiry, which examined the department-wide culture contributing to numerous scandals since his 2016 hiring. These controversies involved multiple sports programs. The football program faced significant issues, including the departure of Sherrone Moore and the sign-stealing scandal that overshadowed the 2023 national championship under Jim Harbaugh.
Additional incidents include Harbaugh's three-game suspension for recruiting violations during the same season, and an assistant coach's indictment in March 2025 for alleged hacking of student-athletes' personal accounts. The hockey program experienced turmoil with the 2022 dismissal of Mel Pearson due to a 'toxic work environment,' and the basketball program saw Juwan Howard suspended in 2022 for striking an opponent's coach.
Despite these challenges, Michigan athletics experienced considerable successes under Manuel's leadership. These achievements include the football national championship, five Frozen Four appearances for the men's hockey team, and the men's basketball national championship in the current year under coach Dusty May. Manuel had received a five-year contract extension in December 2024, with his previous contract set to expire in 2030.
