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Reports Claim Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel Has Been Ousted

A Board of Regents meeting this week could force release of a Jenner & Block review or trigger a negotiated exit that avoids a large severance

Overview

  • Multiple outlets and a high-profile social post on Sunday reported that Warde Manuel has been removed and that the university and Manuel are negotiating terms, but Michigan Athletics has not issued any confirmation.
  • The reported development ties to an internal Jenner & Block review launched after the firing of football coach Sherrone Moore, and the firm’s findings have not been made public.
  • Manuel signed a 2024 contract running through 2030 that would require roughly 36 months of pay if he were fired without a settlement, making a negotiated exit financially important for the university.
  • Last week a lawsuit alleged the university withheld public records, and sources say Thursday’s Regents meeting will address Manuel’s status and could accelerate disclosure of investigative material.
  • Manuel’s decade in Ann Arbor combined major team successes with repeated program controversies, and any departure could reshape department leadership, public trust, and the school’s legal and financial obligations.