The firm hired by Michigan to search for a football coach to replace Sherrone Moore has contacted representatives for Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham and Missouri´s Eli Drinkwitz.
Moore was fired on Wednesday, when the school said an investigation uncovered his inappropriate relationship with a staffer.
Two days later, Moore was charged with three crimes after prosecutors said he ‘barged his way’ into the apartment of a woman he’d been having an affair with and threatened to kill himself.
After the 35-year-old Dillingham was linked to numerous open jobs last month, he said he was not leaving his alma mater.
Two weeks ago, Drinkwitz agreed to a six-year contract that increases his average compensation to $10.75 million annually.
Michigan is hoping to hire a coach this month, helping its chances of retaining recruits and keeping key players out of the transfer portal in January.
The firm hired by Michigan to find a football coach has contacted Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham (left) and Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz (right)
Moore was fired over his inappropriate relationship with a staffer before being arrested and charged with three crimes
Dillingham, who is from Scottsdale, Arizona, graduated from Arizona State in 2013 and started his coaching career as an assistant for the Sun Devils.
After coaching at Memphis, he was the offensive coordinator for Auburn, Florida State and Oregon before returning to Arizona State.
Dillingham orchestrated a quick turnaround, leading the Sun Devils to the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff for the first time last year.
Arizona State was 8-4 this season, improving Dillingham’s record to 22-16 over three seasons.
The 42-year-old Drinkwitz is 46-28 in six seasons at Missouri after going 12-1 in a year at Appalachian State. He has built the Tigers into a steady Southeastern Conference program, earning five straight bowl bids.
On Friday, Moore was charged with breaking and entering, home invasion and stalking at his arraignment in Washtenaw County, just days after allegedly entering his assistant’s apartment, terrorizing an unnamed woman and threatening to harm himself in the wake of his firing over the affair.
Prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said Moore and the woman had been engaged in an ‘intimate relationship’ for a number of years. Magistrate Odetalla M Odetalla forbade the court from identifying the alleged victim. The 911 call that led to Moore’s arrest was made from an apartment belonging to his executive assistant, Paige Shiver.
Pittsfield, Michigan police and Washtenaw County prosecutors claimed the uninvited Moore entered a residence unarmed through an unlocked door and ‘engaged in a verbal argument with the victim that escalated.’ From there, he allegedly grabbed two butter knives and a pair of scissors while threatening to harm himself.
Moore has been married to his wife, Kelli, since 2015. They have three daughters together
The 911 call that led to Moore’s arrest was made from an apartment belonging to his executive assistant, Paige Shiver (pictured)
‘I’m going to kill myself,’ Moore told the alleged victim, as claimed by assistant prosecutor Kati Rezmierski on Friday. ‘I’m going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life.’
Moore allegedly fled the residence before police could arrive. He was ultimately arrested Wednesday evening at a church parking lot in a neighboring town. After his arraignment on Friday, he has bonded out of custody, court records state.
If convicted on all counts, Moore could face up to six-and-a-half years in jail and as much as $3,500 in fines, according to Washtenaw County’s Friday statement.
He was granted a $25,00 bond and ordered to wear a GPS device while continuing to undergo mental health treatment. His next court appearance is January 22.
Defense attorney Joe Simon insisted there is ‘no evidence to suggest’ his client is a threat to the public while out on bond.