Sherrone Moore steps into the breach with Michigan football

The Notre Dame football team isn't going to be playing the Michigan Wolverines for a while. In fact, it's possible that when the two programs next do battle, the Sherrone Moore era will have come and gone.

As someone who has a deep dislike for the Wolverines, that's the best possible outcome. But for now, the era is just beginning. It's beginning officially after Jim Harbaugh left Michigan for the San Diego Chargers.

On Friday night, the Wolverines announced that Sherrone Moore is officially their next head coach. It's hardly a surprise, considering that he took over playcalling and head coaching duties this year when Harbaugh was suspended.

There were rumors before Harbaugh actually left Ann Arbor that his replacemetn would be someone who was a little more high profile. There was even talk that someone like Brian Kelly might come back to the midwest.

When Harbaugh did finally leave though, it was clear that Moore was the next man up. It was such a certainty that Moore was getting the job that Kelly actually became the butt of many jokes.

And now, Warde Manuel and the rest of the Michigan brass are pushing all their cards to the middle of the table. They're going with a man who has never been a head coach, other than when he had the interim tag next to his name. He's getting one of the biggest jobs in sports despite a relatively short coaching career.

Sherrone Moore gets the Michigan head coach job

As it turns, out Michigan seems to know they're taking a risk, based on the way they're paying Moore. The new Wolverines head coach's contract is for 5 years with a base salary of $500,000, and the $5 million in additional bonuses and compensation in Year 1. His salary will increase by 2 percent in the subsequent years, and Moore will also receive $500,000 per contract year if he remains as head coach for the entirety of the year.

Knowing those terms, it would seem as if Michigan's not sure Sherrone Moore will be around the next time the Wolverines take on Notre Dame football either.