The University of Michigan confirmed on Monday that athletic director Warde Manuel will step down at the end of 2026. The school will find a replacement, and Manuel will assist.
In another announcement, Michigan also shared that the investigation by the independent Jenner & Block law firm into its athletic department is now concluded. It follows reports regarding the non-compliance from the program over several controversies, including Sherrone Moore’s firing.
As per Michigan, Manuel was committed to student-athletes but failed to act on allegations of wrongdoing by the athletic department.
“The culture review found that Warde Manuel demonstrated important leadership strengths, particularly his commitment to student-athletes. At the same time, it identified failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing by Athletic Department employees,” the school said in its Public Affairs FAQs regarding the investigation.
The investigation also concluded that Sherrone Moore, who was fired on Dec. 10 for his alleged relationship with a Michigan staffer, violated university policy. However, the report does make it clear that the misconduct was not widespread throughout the department.
Michigan AD Warde Manuel Was Not Planning on Resigning Last Week
The stepping-down statement from Michigan comes as a surprise, as just last week Warde Manuel said he expected to remain in his position despite speculation surrounding his future.
“The president and I have had several great conversations over the past couple of days,” Manuel told Yahoo Sports about his relationship with Michigan president Domenico Grasso. “There are no plans for me not to continue to be the athletic director for the near future.”
Based on the investigative findings from Jenner & Block, Michigan will strengthen “the independence, visibility, and authority of its compliance function.”
Previously, the University of Michigan hired the Chicago-based law firm to investigate its athletic department in December 2025. The investigation focused on Sherrone Moore’s relationship with staff member Paige Shiver and Warde Manuel’s oversight of it.
Other than the controversy involving Moore, the law firm also reviewed the department’s handling of Connor Stalions’ sign-stealing scandal, former assistant coach Matthew Weiss’ alleged computer crimes, recruiting violations, and previous misconduct allegations.
The University of Michigan wants to strengthen its programs on several other parameters, including student welfare and health, escalating misconduct, and revisiting its policies to determine if they need any amendments. This is to ensure that the athletic department is running well and avoid such controversies in the first place.
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