A thunderbolt hit the college football world on Wednesday afternoon. Sherrone Moore was fired as head coach of Michigan. Purely on merit, a lot of Michigan fans wanted Moore to be out, but this was not about wins and losses. This was a firing for cause, specifically for inappropriate personal conduct. Michigan released a statement which was very specific:

"Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy."

The firing for cause is significant for all the obvious reasons, one being that Michigan won't be on the hook for nearly as much money as it would have been if it fired Sherrone Moore simply because it wanted to move on and seek a different direction. The cost savings attached to a firing for cause should enable Michigan to spend top-dollar and offer a premium package to an incoming head coach.

With the firing coming in the middle of December -- after the college football regular season and after the revelation of the playoff field -- Michigan should not feel it has to hire someone right away. The transfer portal window opens January 2. The NFL season ends on January 4. Michigan could wait to hire a currently employed NFL head coach or coordinator if it wanted. We will write and publish separate articles specifically focusing on the Michigan head coaching search, but for now, simply note that NFL coaches should be in play for the Wolverines as they seek Sherrone Moore's replacement. Stay with us at College Sports Wire for more on this developing story.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Sherrone Moore fired for cause at Michigan in explosive carousel story

Reporting by Matt Zemek, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

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