Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel Is Stepping Down

Michigan has been plagued by scandals during Warde Manuel’s tenure as AD while winning recent national championships in football and men’s basketball. (Junfu Han / USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)

What Happened?

Michigan’s athletic director (the person in charge of all sports teams at the school), Warde Manuel, is leaving his job at the end of the calendar year. The school made this announcement on a Monday.

At the same time, Michigan shared the results of an investigation (a careful look into what happened) by a company called Jenner & Block. This investigation looked at:

• What former football coach Sherrone Moore did
• The overall culture (how things are done and felt) in the athletic department

What Did Manuel Say Before This?

Just last week, there were reports that Manuel’s future at Michigan was uncertain (people weren’t sure if he would keep his job). He talked to Yahoo Sports and said:

“There are no plans for me not to continue to be the athletic director for the near future.”

That means he thought he would stay in the job for a while.

How Much Was He Paid?

Manuel was making about $2.4 million each year from:

• His salary (regular pay)
• Deferred compensation (money saved and paid later)

His work contract (a promise paper saying how long he works) was supposed to last until 2030. If he left early, Michigan would have to pay him a buyout (extra money to end the contract) equal to three years of his pay.

Manuel’s Time at Michigan

Manuel used to play football at Michigan. He became athletic director in 2016. During his time, Michigan won a lot:

• Men’s basketball national championship this year
• Football national championship in 2023
• National championships for men’s and women’s gymnastics
• Five Frozen Four appearances for ice hockey (the final big tournament to decide the champion)

Important Point: Even with all those wins, Michigan’s success was often covered up by scandals (big troubles), investigations, rule violations (breaking the rules), and arrests (being taken by police) of several staff members.

Summary

Warde Manuel, Michigan’s athletic director since 2016 and a former player there, will step down at the end of the year. This news came as the school released an investigation into a former football coach and the department’s culture. Though Manuel recently said he expected to stay, he is leaving with a contract through 2030 and a large buyout. His time brought big wins in multiple sports but also many scandals and rule-breaking issues.

FAQ

1. What is an athletic director?
An athletic director is the boss of a school’s sports programs. They make big decisions for all the teams.

2. Why is Warde Manuel leaving?
The school announced he will step down at the end of the year. His departure came as Michigan released an investigation into a former coach and the department’s culture.

3. Was Manuel successful at Michigan?
Yes, under him Michigan won national championships in football, men’s basketball, and gymnastics, plus hockey successes. But there were also scandals and violations.

4. What does “buyout” mean?
A buyout is money a school must pay a leader if they leave before their contract ends. Manuel’s buyout equals three years of his pay.

5. What is the Jenner & Block investigation?
It is a review done by a law-related company to look into actions of ex-coach Sherrone Moore and the athletic department’s overall environment.