On Wednesday, the Michigan Wolverines fired head coach Sherrone Moore.
The school revealed that it found “credible evidence” he had an inappropriate relationship with a staff member (h/t ESPN’s Dan Wetzel). He was later detained by police. No charges have been filed yet.
Michigan has named Biff Poggi as the interim HC for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against the Texas Longhorns on Jan. 31. The 66-year-old coach has an unusual career path. Here are five things you should know about it:
Biff Poggi is a hedgefund manager-turned-football coach
Poggi, a former offensive lineman, played for the Pittsburgh Panthers in 1979 before transferring and finishing his career with the Duke Blue Devils. He wanted to enter coaching immediately, but his father-in-law felt he should pursue a more lucrative career.
He turned to Wall Street. After becoming fascinated with the stock market, his father-in-law gave him a small investment in 1986. He subsequently turned that into a 30-year career. When he quit managing funds to become a coach full-time, he was a multimillionaire.
In a story published in August 2018, ESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski reported Poggi owned a jet and a “conga line of business investments.” Clearly, he’s financially secure, but he didn’t give up on his dream because he wanted to make a positive impact on people’s lives.
“No human being has ever escaped death,” Poggi said, per Wojciechowski. “We’re all going to the same place. And at some time, all of us are going to ask ourselves the question: ‘What difference did we make for the least of them?’ … I decided I did not want to water-ski behind yachts. I wanted to do something else.”
Biff Poggi turned a struggling high school football program into a powerhouse from scratch
Poggi clearly practices what he preaches.
After spending one season as an analyst for Michigan, Poggi became the HC for St. Frances Academy in Baltimore in 2017. Per Wojciechowski, he poured more than $2.5M into the program. That investment worked out.
From 2017-19, St. Frances Academy won three straight state championships under Poggi. He also sent multiple players to Division I schools, and some would later play in the NFL. That included former Michigan RB Blake Corum (now with the Los Angeles Rams).
Biff Poggi has an unusual fashion statement
Poggi loves to wear cutoff T-shirts. While he served as Charlotte 49ers HC from 2023-24, it became his signature look. In a story published in September 2023, the coach told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach he likes to wear these shirts to stay cool.
University administrators weren’t fans of the look. When Charlotte president Sharon Gaber and athletic director Mike Hill saw him wearing one during a news conference, they told him not to do so in public settings. He didn’t listen.
Poggi wore it during practices, news conferences and the team photo in 2023. He initially wore a polo shirt to picture day, but players refused to partake until he changed clothes. At least, the school profited from it. It started selling Poggi-inspired shirts in its bookstore in 2023.
Poggi wore regular shirts when he filled in for Moore (suspended for his alleged role in a sign-stealing scandal from 2021-23) in Weeks 3 and 4 this season. But perhaps he’ll wear one during the Citrus Bowl, played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, where it’s usually sunny.
Biff Poggi helped former Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh save his career
After Michigan went 2-4 during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Harbaugh was on the hot seat. To save his job, he rehired Poggi as an associate HC. That may have been one of the best decisions of his career.
“I think Biff’s presence there is huge,” former Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald (now Seattle Seahawks HC) told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman in 2022. “He’s kind of like the consigliere. He’s really the only guy to hash it out with [Harbaugh].”
Poggi’s willingness to challenge Harbaugh ultimately benefited the HC. While he was on his staff, the Wolverines beat the Ohio State Buckeyes twice and made two College Football Playoff appearances.
Harbaugh used the lessons he learned from Poggi to win a national championship during the 2023 season, which helped him land the Los Angeles Chargers head-coaching job.
Former Michigan TE Jake Butt believes Biff Poggi is the right man for the job
Poggi is walking into a challenging situation. The Moore storyline further taints Michigan’s image, already tarnished by the sign-stealing scandal.
Poggi also struggled while at Charlotte, going 6-16. However, Butt believes he’s the right coach to help the Wolverines (9-3) stay the course amid a turbulent time.
“He’s the man for the job to do that in a really tough situation,” Butt said Wednesday night on Big Ten Network (h/t The Athletic’s Seth Dochterman). He also called him a “trusted leader.”
