DHS alum continues in coaching endeavors

It has been quite a journey for Derby High School graduate (’04) Sherrone Moore. Moore was the offensive coordinator on a national championship team at Michigan, then weeks later promoted to head coach of the program on Jan. 26.

If you were to tell Moore or former Derby head coach Tom Young what Moore would be doing now 20 years ago, both might be surprised.

“I don’t know if [coach Young] would have seen this coming,” Moore said. “I never thought I would be in this position. I just thank the Lord above.”

As a player in the Kelly green and white, Moore was a key piece of the Derby offensive line while in high school, and his football IQ stood out to the Panther coaching staff.

“Sherrone’s football IQ was off the charts,” Young said. “He was intelligent both in the classroom and on the field. He really understood the blocking schemes, identifying certain situations and communicating the adjustments to his teammates. I don’t know if he ever made a mistake. He really understood the Xs and Os of the game.”

It took a little bit of time for Moore’s IQ to translate onto the field. His offensive line coach at Derby, Steve Wilson, would be the first to tell you that. Moore spent his first season at Derby on the freshman squad but started to get the attention of the coaching staff in his sophomore year.

“He started to grow between his freshman and sophomore year, but he was really timid his sophomore year,” Wilson said. “We finally got him to where he wasn’t quite so timid and enjoyed what he was doing.”

Paired with the natural ability to process the game rapidly, Moore’s intense work ethic was a key quality that elevated him among other players. Coach Wilson saw the potential ahead of Moore’s junior season. The Panthers went to a padded camp on the campus of the University of Tulsa where Moore showed the biggest improvement to the point where the coaching staff at Tulsa wanted to recruit him.

“He really came to his own when we went to Tulsa for a padded camp before his junior year,” Wilson said. “He had grown and gotten stronger. At that camp, he was just dominant, and the college coaches requested film on Moore.”

Moore carried that dominance into the next two seasons at Derby and started to play with more confidence. In his senior season the hard work he had put in really started to show.

“By the time (Moore) was a senior, he was an excellent lineman. He did a great job for us,” Young said. “His biggest asset was his strong work ethic all throughout high school. He was a big kid and as an underclassman he wasn’t particularly quick. He had to work really hard to improve his foot speed and strength, and he did.”

At Derby, Moore learned toughness but also the value of dedication and teamwork, which has helped him throughout his football career.

“The toughness factor was huge and what I really learned at Derby,” Moore said. “I really started playing football in high school, and the coaching staff helped me understand camaraderie, teamwork and dedication. That really pushed me to a new level.”

Moore went on to be a part of the Butler Community College football program that went 20-3 in two years and played two years at Oklahoma, where the Sooners won two Big 12 titles. It wasn’t until Moore was in college that he discovered his passion for coaching and got his first gig as a graduate assistant in Louisville.

“I think I figured out that I wanted to coach in college,” Moore said. “That is when I finally figured out that it was something that I was passionate about, and I have loved it ever since.”

After five years at Louisville, Moore went to Central Michigan and worked his way up to the assistant head coach, tight ends coach, and recruiting coordinator role in 2017. In 2018, he was named the tight ends coach and continued to rise through the ranks of the Wolverine staff, including being named the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2023. Last season, Moore was the acting head coach in four games where the Wolverines went 4-0, including wins over No. 9 Penn State and No. 2 Ohio State.

Moore generated attention this season, and his former coach said it was special to see. Young said that Moore’s demeanor on the sideline was the same as it was when he was a player.

“It was fun to watch him on the sidelines, and it reminded me of the way he was when he played,” Young said. “He had a quiet enthusiasm about him. He is definitely enthusiastic, but rarely goes overboard with it. It is hard to describe, but he was that way on the team. He was very focused and very enthusiastic at the same time.”

Today, Moore still tries to keep an eye on Derby football as a recruiter and alum. Even though the perspective might have shifted to more of an analytical mindset, he still holds the pride of being raised by Derby football.

“I try to watch Derby whenever I can,” Moore said. “Obviously, from a scouting perspective, but also as a fan, I am very proud to be a Derby Panther and always represent Derby.”