Warde Manuel wasn’t the one making the mistakes at Michigan, but he can’t avoid some of the blame for them.
That’s the price of admission for anybody running an athletic department with an annual budget projected at nearly $300 million.
Michigan has had an epidemic of scandals over the last five years, including two cheating probes, federal charges for off-field actions, an assault, two investigations by outside law firms, OWI arrests, affairs and lawsuits.
Manuel hasn’t been the protagonist in any of the incidents. But they all happened under his watch and were mostly met with underwhelming responses from the school. That, more than anything, is why Michigan is on the hunt for a new head of the athletic department.
Manuel, who will step down as U-M’s AD in December, wasn’t the one who met with football recruits during an NCAA dead period during the coronavirus pandemic, or the one who allowed analysts to serve in an on-field capacity, resulting in NCAA violations and suspensions of coaches.
That was Jim Harbaugh, hired just before Manuel returned to Ann Arbor after serving as Connecticut AD.
Nor did he run the forbidden sign-stealing operation in the football program that led to NCAA penalties and national embarrassment.
That was Connor Stalions.
Manuel was, reportedly, at a closed-door meeting in which the scheme was discussed, but it was former president Santa Ono who allegedly never “reported the evidence of cheating found on [former staffer Matt Weiss] computer” and directed a handful of people not to take notes of their meeting with a law firm when it presented the findings of its investigation into former offensive coordinator Weiss.
Weiss faces a 24-count federal indictment for unauthorized computer access and aggravated identity theft after he allegedly hacked into private accounts to steal intimate photographs and videos.
Manuel also didn’t assault a coach in a handshake line after losing a basketball game or get into an altercation with a longtime strength and conditioning coach.
That was Juwan Howard, a Manuel hire in 2019.
Manuel also didn’t advise players to lie on COVID-19 tracing forms and was in charge of a “toxic work environment,” which led to a scathing report by Washington-based law firm WilmerHale.
That was hockey coach Mel Pearson, a Manuel hire in 2017.
And then there was Moore – a 2024 hire by Manuel after Harbaugh’s departure for the NFL – who allegedly lied about an affair with former staffer Paige Shiver, leading to his incredibly public firing and arrest.
There were also multiple staff members arrested for operating vehicles while impaired, and a car crashed by former Michigan basketball star Zavier Simpson that was registered to Manuel’s wife.
Manuel didn’t do any of those things directly. But he was in charge of each individual within the Michigan athletic department.
“Every coach, every executive, every leader: They all know right from wrong,” legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler wrote in his book “Bo’s Lasting Lessons” – published in 2007, nearly a year after his death. “When someone uncovers a scandal in their company, I don’t think they can say, ‘I didn’t know that was going on.’ They’re just saying they’re too dumb to do their job! And if they really are too dumb, then why are they getting paid millions of dollars to do it? They know what’s going on.”
Under Manuel, Michigan excelled in academics and won NCAA titles in women’s gymnastics (2021), men’s gymnastics (2025) and men’s basketball (2026), plus a College Football Playoff title following the 2023 season.
But by the end of 2026, he’ll be out of a job.
The Wolverines couldn’t stop the bleeding off the field and never took true accountability.
That lack of accountability seemed to be changing when Michigan president Domenico Grasso sent out a video shortly after Moore’s firing in December promising to leave “no stone unturned.”
U-M brought in law firm Jenner & Block to investigate the Moore incident, as well as the culture of the department.
Michigan spent over $12 million, but when pressure came this summer to release the full report, the school announced there were no plans to do so.
Higher-ups at the university were orally briefed, avoiding a paper trail available via Michigan’s FOIA laws. Then, with rumors swirling of a potential Manuel buyout, the matter wasn’t even addressed at the board of regents meeting on Thursday, July 16.
A brief summary of the findings were released on Monday, July 20, but it hardly slowed the criticism, as Shiver’s lawyer blasted Michigan and called for the whole investigation to be released.
“The broader cultural review has identified serious concerns that require immediate action,” Grasso said in a video released last week, following the Board of Regents’ meeting. “These include failures in accountability, structural deficiencies, weaknesses in our reporting and support systems, and concerns about retaliation.
“This is unacceptable. We have significant work ahead to restore Michigan athletics to its standing as a model program not only on the field, but also off the field.”
But even Michigan’s decision making this summer lends itself to more questions.
A statement from the university summarizing the findings stated “neither the investigation nor the culture review found that misconduct was widespread throughout the department.”
And yet, if Manuel – seemingly forced out based on the findings of this investigation – was in the wrong, why will he be allowed to stick around through football season and usher in his replacement?
Alternatively, if he acted prudently at every turn, why is he leaving at all?
Moving forward, all the pressure will be on Michigan to find a new athletic director with a squeaky-clean track record, similar to the hiring of football coach Kyle Whittingham from Utah to replace Moore.
Even with the promises of improvement made by U-M, if this last month is any indication, it seems these issues may be systemic, rather than the result of Manuel’s leadership.
That’s not to excuse Manuel’s track record, but it points to a greater cultural problem.
One of feeling or acting above the law. One of not owing anybody an explanation.
Michigan will say it learned from this latest chapter, but actions speak louder than words. In the immediate aftermath of this most recent debacle, the reaction simply points to more of the same.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Warde Manuel deserves blame, but Michigan’s problems seem systemic
Reporting by Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
