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Michigan game vs. Fresno State: 3 keys to watch as Sherrone Moore era begins

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Michigan game vs. Fresno State: 3 keys to watch as Sherrone Moore era begins


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Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia looks ahead to Michigan football’s 2024 season opener against Fresno State on Saturday at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Next up for the Wolverines: Fresno State Bulldogs

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Matchup: No. 8 Michigan (15-0, national champions, in 2023) vs. Fresno State (9-4 in 2023).

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Saturday; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.

TV/radio: NBC, WXYT-FM (97.1)

Line: Wolverines by 21½.

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For the second time in five years, Tim Skipper takes over for Jeff Tedford at the helm of the Bulldogs. Only this time, it’s permanent, with Tedford stepping aside for health resons. Fresno State last year was ranked during the season, and eyes another winning season in a deep Mountain West.

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Quarterback Mikey Keene threw for nearly 3,000 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions a season ago, connecting with top targets Jalen Moss (55 catches for 706 yards and six touchdowns), Mac Dalena (47 catches for 509 yards and three touchdowns) and Josiah Freeman (19 catches for 249 yards and one touchdown). In case that wasn’t enough movement through the air, Fresno State added a pair of 1,000-yard receivers from the FCS level in Idaho’s Chedon James (102 catches for 1,045 yards and eight touchdowns) and Missouri State All-American Raylen Sharpe (73 catches for 991 yards and seven touchdowns).

The Bulldogs should be able to run, too, as they return lead RB Malik Sherrod (876 yards, nine TDs) and backup Elijah Gilliam (397 yards, five TDs).

The Bulldogs are weaker on defense, but leading edge Devo Bridges returns, complemented by former top-five recruit Korey Foreman (class of 2023), who transferred in this offseason from USC. Linebacker Malachi Langley recorded a career-high 80 tackles last year, and defensive backs Cam Lockridge and Al’zillion Hamilton will need to pick up the slack with Carlton Johnson now in the NFL (Seahawks).

GIFTS FROM THE FOOTBALL GODS: How Michigan become home to best DT duo in the sport

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3 things to watch

Waiting on a quarterback: It will remain the No. 1 question surrounding the team until the Wolverines answer it, but the understanding is the job remains up for grabs between Alex Orji and Davis Warren. This is not 2023, when U-M had a weak nonconference schedule and a backloaded league slate. New coach Sherrone Moore’s team faces three 2023 bowl teams in the first four games, (including CFP semifinalist Texas). Time is of the essence.

Orji is 6 feet 3 and 235 pounds and ranked No. 13 The Athletic’s “freaks list,” but an area of concern is his ability to consistently operate the intermediate-to-deep pass game. Warren looked the best in public during April’s spring game, and has apparently been equally proficient during camp. He’s more mobile than he gets credit for, but his ceiling is lower than Orji’s, and he has previously only entered late in blowouts. If Warren wins the job, there will certainly be packages for Orji to get involved.

Sherrone’s style: There was no question about who Michigan’s next coach would be once Jim Harbaugh returned to the NFL. We saw how Moore operated in four instances where he filled in for a suspended Harbaugh — notably at Penn State in November, with 32 consecutive runs to close out a top-10 road win, and another epic victory at home against Ohio State — and saw a man ready for the job. Now’s the time when it’s all put to the test. What does a Moore team look like? How much autonomy does he give to coordinators Kirk Campbell (offense) and Wink Martindale (defense)? How aggressive is Moore on offense, and how will he get players to overcome the target as defending champions? This will be the first glimpse at what the attitude of a Moore-led team looks like.

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ROAD TO GLORY: Making the case for and against Michigan returning to College Football Playoff

Retool vs. rebuild: In this new era of roster turnover, it’s Michigan’s turn to put its “next man up” mantra to the test. That leads to perhaps the overarching question: Is the next era of Wolverines ready? The entire title-winning offensive line has been replaced. Gio El-Hadi, Greg Crippen and Andrew Gentry have waited for years, and now we’ll see if they’re up to the task. At receiver, U-M replaces both starters. Tyler Morris has been said to be “the alpha” — he has one career touchdown — and Semaj Morgan was electric in spurts last year. The one lock on offense is tight end Colston Loveland.

The defense figures to be among the nation’s best, but replaces staff at every level and saw multiple starters move to the NFL. Can the players grasp Martindale’s twist on the Ravens-style scheme implemented under Mike Macdonald (2021) and Jesse Minter (2022-23)? Is Zeke Berry capable of replacing All-American Mike Sainristil at nickel back? The linebacking corps lost nine years of experience between Junior Colson and Michael Barrett and is now led by understudy Ernest Hausmann and Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham. The best news: The unit’s three best players return: preseason All-Americans DTs Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and CB Will Johnson.

[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Hail Yes!” your go-to Michigan Wolverines podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] 

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Menominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor

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Menominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor


MENOMINEE, Mich. (WLUK) — 24-year-old Ethan Raymond Masters of Menominee was arrested on sexual assault charges June 30th, according to the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies learned of an incident involving a 24-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl which happened in Menominee June 22nd. Following a sexual assault investigation, police charged Masters.

Masters was arraigned July 2nd on 2 counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct First Degree. He remains in the Menominee County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond.

Menominee City Police and the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratory of Marquette assisted with the investigation.

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Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status

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Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status


Twenty-four thousand immigrants in Michigan have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but a recent Supreme Court decision could put their protection in jeopardy.  

TPS is a humanitarian protection granted to U.S. immigrants fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries, often from natural disasters or political instability. The status allows immigrants from the designated countries to live and work in the U.S.  

The Supreme Court overturned those for 356,000 Haitians and Syrians in a recent decision. While the court’s decision directly impacted Haitian and Syrian immigrants, it also established that the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to determine TPS status without judicial review or input from the courts.

That means that the Secretary of Homeland Security can eliminate TPS for any immigrant group that is currently in the U.S. under protection. That puts 1.3 million immigrants in the U.S. at risk of deportation. In Florida, 113,000 healthcare workers with TPS are at risk of deportation. The Haitian population in Philadelphia is also expressing concerns about what comes next for them.  

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“The Supreme Court turned its back on our moral and legal commitments to people seeking safety,” said Christine Sauvé, manager of Policy and Communication at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “The decision eliminates legal protections for people fleeing danger and allows the Trump Administration to really advance its mass deportation agenda.”

Left without the ability to live or work in the U.S., these Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS now face deportation. But going back home could still be incredibly dangerous.

“It’s not really an option to go back to their home country,” said Melanie Goldberg, immigration attorney with the Institute of Metro Detroit. “In the case of Haiti, they don’t even have an airport in Port-au-Prince that’s operational. Yet they say it’s safe for these citizens to go back.”

In Michigan, immigrants with TPS have contributed $349 million to the state’s economy, a sign that they are deeply embedded in the community, according to Sauvé.  

“Many TPS holders have been in our communities for a very long time,” Sauvé said. “They’ve really spent decades building their lives here in Michigan. We welcomed them here, only to see that completely ripped away with the stroke of a pen.”

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The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center encourages Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS, as well as any immigrants in the U.S. with a TPS designation, to seek out a qualified legal service provider and review the “Know Your Rights” Materials on the MIRC’s website



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Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations

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Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations


A former University of Michigan assistant whose relationship with ex-coach Sherrone Moore was under investigation is accusing university officials of refusing to provide records related to the probe.

Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Washtenaw Circuit Court, claiming that U of M “arbitrarily and capriciously” violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act by repeatedly denying her requests. Shiver and her legal team are seeking a court order requiring the university to disclose the records.

The lawsuit also alleges that throughout Shiver’s four-year employment with U of M, she was “discriminated against and subjected to a hostile work environment on the basis of her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan law including Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”

“The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents,” said Shiver’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth. 

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On Wednesday, CBS News Detroit reached out to U of M, which says it has no comment.

The investigation led to Moore’s firing in December 2025. At the time, it was determined that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, who was later identified as Shiver. 

Moore was arrested hours later after authorities said he went to Shiver’s home and threatened to harm himself. He was charged with third-degree felony home invasion, as well as misdemeanor counts of stalking and of breaking and entering. Moore was sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading no contest to the two misdemeanor charges.

According to the lawsuit, Shiver filed a FOIA request in February 2026 for audio, video and transcripts of interviews of herself, her father, Jeff Shiver, and Moore. The lawsuit alleges that the university denied her request, citing the ongoing investigation.

The lawsuit alleges that Shiver submitted a similar request months later, in June, but was told by the university that it was “overly broad and vague” and “does not describe a ‘public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.’”

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The lawsuit claims that requests were submitted in March and May, respectively, for all emails sent to the law firm Jenner & Block (UMconcerns@jenner.com) and for recordings of Shiver’s meetings by the university through Jenner & Block. However, those requests were denied because the university cited that it had no responsive records, according to the lawsuit.

The law firm was hired by U of M to investigate Moore and Shiver’s relationship. The university later expanded the investigation to include the athletic department.

The lawsuit also claims that Shiver requested copies of emails between Moore and athletic director Warde Manuel that contained the words “affair,” “discipline,” “pregnancy,” “baby” and “abortion.” The university denied the request, citing the communication between U of M employees as “exempt information,” according to the lawsuit.

However, Shiver’s legal team argued that the university has not shown evidence that the emails are exempt.

“This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation’s findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out,” Stroth said.

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Shiver appeared on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in April to discuss her relationship with Moore. In the interview, she said she became pregnant by Moore and sought an abortion after medical complications were discovered about the pregnancy.


Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2026.



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