Sherrone Moore and Michigan have been making headlines due to their impressive recruiting efforts last year, including securing five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood in a $10 million NIL deal. However, despite their offseason progress and attempts to recover from a 9-4 season, the program is now facing renewed controversy.
This time, the focus is on former Michigan co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss. The 42-year-old, who was with the Wolverines from 2021 to 2023, has been indicted on multiple charges, including 14 counts of unauthorized computer access and 10 counts of identity theft. If convicted, he could face significant prison time—up to five years for each unauthorized access charge and two years for each count of identity theft.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, Weiss allegedly accessed athlete databases at more than 100 colleges and universities between 2015 and January 2023. The indictment states that he downloaded the personal and medical information of over 150,000 student-athletes.
Weiss initially joined Michigan in 2021 as the quarterbacks coach and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2022. His alleged misconduct came to light when Michigan police raided his home on January 10, 2023. The university placed him on leave soon after, and by January 23, he was officially dismissed from the program.
Following the indictment, sports analyst RJ Young advised Michigan players and alumni to check whether their information had been compromised. He emphasized that those affected should take necessary steps to protect themselves, while also acknowledging that the Department of Justice is handling the case.
This scandal comes at a challenging time for Michigan, which is already dealing with legal battles related to another controversy—the Connor Stalions sign-stealing investigation. Stalions, a former Wolverines defensive analyst, was dismissed for allegedly using illegal methods to decode opponents’ signals during the 2023 season, a year in which Michigan won the national championship.
The university has also faced NCAA and FBI scrutiny for alleged rule violations during the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to the departure of former head coach Jim Harbaugh. Despite these off-field issues, Michigan’s athletic director, Warde Manuel, continues to defend the program. He pointed to a statement by NCAA President Charlie Baker, who asserted that Michigan’s championship was won “fair and square.” However, rival fans remain unconvinced, arguing that Michigan should still face repercussions for past infractions.
With these scandals piling up, questions arise about whether Michigan’s off-field controversies are isolated incidents or signs of deeper systemic issues within the program.