Ann Arbor: Warde Manuel to step down as Michigan athletic director
Warde Manuel will step down from his role as University of Michigan athletic director at the close of the current calendar year, officials announced on Monday, July 20. A search for his successor is set to commence.
The announcement from U-M President Domenico Grasso follows a period marked by various lawsuits and investigations concerning the athletic department. One such investigation, conducted by Jenner & Block, reportedly cost over $12 million.
President Grasso stated in a video message that Manuel expressed his desire to step down. Grasso conveyed his deep respect for Manuel‘s contributions to Michigan athletics and requested that he remain in his position until the end of the year. Additionally, Manuel, alongside a trusted vice president, has been asked to serve as a special advisor to the president to assist in implementing reforms.
The investigation by Jenner & Block was initiated shortly after the termination of former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore. Moore‘s firing was attributed to an alleged “inappropriate relationship” with his executive assistant, Paige Shiver. The scope of the investigation later expanded to include a broader review of the athletic department’s culture.
Investigation Findings and Departmental Culture
On Monday, Michigan released a summary of the findings from the Jenner & Block investigation. This summary included a message from President Grasso, though no official documents from the investigation were made public beyond this summary.
The information provided regarding Manuel in the summary was described as brief and mixed. A statement on the university’s public affairs website indicated that the culture review found Warde Manuel demonstrated significant leadership strengths, particularly his dedication to student-athletes. However, it also identified instances where there were failures to promptly and effectively address allegations of misconduct by athletic department employees.
The termination of Coach Moore is considered by some to be a pivotal event, following a series of negative press and scandals that have affected the athletic department during Manuel‘s leadership. These incidents include Shiver suing the university, alleging the concealment of public records, and former linebackers coach Chris Partridge filing a lawsuit against the board of regents, Manuel, former president Santa Ono, and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti.
The lawsuit brought by Partridge claims that the school’s former president actively sought to hide details regarding the football team’s sign-stealing scandal. It also alleges that athletic department leaders were aware of Moore’s relationship with a staff member years before his eventual dismissal.
Regarding Moore‘s termination, which prompted the investigation, the summary report concluded that no single employee was directly at fault. However, it highlighted numerous areas requiring change. President Grasso noted in his video that while decisive action was taken with Moore‘s termination, investigators did not identify any current employee with direct, contemporaneous knowledge of the relationship.
Nevertheless, the broader culture review identified serious concerns that necessitate immediate action. These concerns include issues with accountability, structural deficiencies, weaknesses in reporting and support systems, and worries about retaliation. Grasso characterized these findings as “unacceptable.”
Manuel’s Tenure and Challenges
Manuel, who is 58, played as a defensive lineman for Michigan in the 1980s under coach Bo Schembechler. He was the 12th athletic director in the school’s history and was hired at the University of Michigan in 2016, having previously served as an athletic director at Buffalo and UConn.
During his tenure, Athletics established a structure that enabled student-athletes to compete for Big Ten and national championships, excel academically, and graduate with their degrees from the University of Michigan. Under Manuel‘s leadership, Michigan teams achieved national championships in football, women’s gymnastics, men’s gymnastics, and men’s basketball.
Despite these successes, Manuel‘s time as athletic director was also marked by controversies, suspensions, and arrests. Since 2020, Michigan has secured more than 50 Big Ten championships across its various sports, significantly more than its closest competitor. However, issues arose in three of the four primary programs.
Michigan terminated three high-profile coaches hired by Manuel: Moore, basketball coach Juwan Howard, and hockey coach Mel Pearson. Both Moore and Pearson were involved in scandals that led to their dismissals. Howard was involved in two notable postgame altercations with opposing coaches, including an incident in 2022 where he struck a Wisconsin assistant, resulting in a five-game suspension.
The university was twice investigated by the NCAA during coach Jim Harbaugh’s tenure, leading to probation for separate incidents. The first instance involved U-M suspending Harbaugh for three games to begin the 2023 season due to recruiting protocol violations during the 2020 COVID-19 dead period. The NCAA found that U-M had impermissible in-person recruiting contacts and exceeded the allowed number of coaches participating in both on- and off-field coaching activities.
In August 2025, the NCAA issued a ruling on U-M‘s sign-stealing controversy from 2023. Michigan was placed on probation for four years, extending through April 10, 2031, after it was discovered that former staffer Connor Stalions allegedly orchestrated a scheme to steal opponents’ signs through impermissible in-person scouting.
Manuel confirmed that the university was ordered to pay fines exceeding $30 million as a result of the sign-stealing penalties. The football program also faced a 14-week prohibition on recruiting communications during the probation period and a 25% reduction in official visits for football in 2025. The NCAA stated that the conduct of some individuals involved ranged from destroying relevant materials to providing false and misleading information during interviews.
Manuel‘s original contract, agreed upon on January 29, 2016, was extended in February 2021 to run through June 30, 2026. A new deal, signed in December 2024, was intended to keep Manuel through June 30, 2030, with a $1.9 million base salary and $350,000 annually in deferred payments.
President Grasso announced Manuel‘s departure on July 20.
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Source: eu.freep.com
