Biff Poggi Confronts Emotional Aftermath of Sherrone Moore Firing

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Michigan interim head football coach Biff Poggi has been tasked with navigating a tumultuous period in the program’s history, following the firing of coach Sherrone Moore. The decision to terminate Moore’s contract was made due to an alleged inappropriate relationship with a female staffer in the program, which led to Moore’s arrest and arraignment on charges of third-degree home invasion, breaking and entering, and stalking.

Players Feel Betrayed

Poggi, who was elevated to interim head coach by athletic director Warde Manuel, acknowledged that the players are struggling to come to terms with the situation. “The kids quite frankly feel very betrayed,” he said during media availability for the upcoming Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. “We’re trying to work through that.”

Preparing for the Bowl Game

As Poggi and the team prepare to face Texas in the bowl game on December 31, he has had to balance the emotional fallout with the task of developing a game plan. “It’s been a unique and complex situation,” he said. “Multiple levels of complexity that our young people are dealing with and our university is dealing with.”

Supporting the Players

In addition to preparing for the game, Poggi has also been acting as an ad hoc counselor, meeting individually with players and their parents to listen to their concerns and emotions. “The message has been listening,” he said. “I want to listen to them. I want to understand how the kids are feeling and what their parents are feeling.”

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