Greg McElroy surprised by timing of Sherrone Moore's self-inflicted suspension

Michigan‘s self-imposed suspension of head coach Sherrone Moore will be handed down during Weeks 3 and 4. This makes the Wolverines head coach available to be on the sidelines for the season opener against New Mexico, and the non-conference road trip to Moore’s alma mater, Oklahoma.

ESPN’s Greg McElroy found the timing of Moore’s suspension within the Wolverines’ schedule intriuging. The former Alabama quarterback questioned why the suspension is coming in Games 3 and 4 as opposed to Games 1 and 2 on their schedule this fall. That takes Moore out of the Week 3 matchup against Central Michigan, as well as the conference opener against Nebraska on the road.

“I’m trying to figure out why,” McElroy said. “Because to me, I feel like Oklahoma, with all due respect to Nebraska, I feel like Oklahoma this year is a legitimate top 25 team. At this point, I don’t know if I have Nebraska in the top 25. I think they’re a fringe top 25 team. But why would you choose to suspend him for weeks three and four against Central Michigan and Nebraska?

“Nebraska, of course, is within your conference. That is a conference game, as opposed to the non conference game against Oklahoma and the first game of the year against New Mexico, who you will probably be a heavy favorite against. It just didn’t make a lot of sense to me.”

This is the benefit of a self-imposed ban — they get to choose when their head coach serves the suspension. It appears they may have found the Nebraska matchup more favorable, or perhaps Moore’s personal ties to OU got in the way of agreeing to a suspension to begin the season.

If one thing is for sure, the Wolverines will be heavy favorites against New Mexico in Week 1 and Central Michigan in Week 3. To McElroy, those matchups go hand-in-hand.

“People are drawing comparisons that I understand the parallels, but at the same time, I still am just trying to figure out what’s more important, the non conference game against Oklahoma or the conference game against Nebraska?” McElroy asked. “Like I said, Central Michigan and New Mexico, they kind of feel like it’s six and one half dozen.

“… But why would you choose to suspend for the non-conference game as opposed to the conference game? I would much rather lose the non conference game and still have full control of my destiny within my own conference.”

Regardless, those are the two matchups the Wolverines have chosen for Moore’s ban. Now, he’s set to lead team into Week 1 against the Lobos inside Michigan Stadium.