Greg Sankey addresses SEC breakaway talk as Michigan tries to steal spotlight with AD Warde Manuel decision

TAMPA — As SEC commissioner Greg Sankey took to the podium at the Marriott hotel to kick off 2026 media days, Michigan was struggling for Big Ten headlines when it announced internal investigation findings that led to the resignation of AD Warde Manuel.

Did you expect the competition between conferences to come to a halt on a random Monday morning in July?

While this was going to be a week of pure chaos, wrapped up in the ongoing ‘College Sports Protection Act’, CFP expansion, and the fight to stay out of courtrooms, it almost felt like disaster was about to happen on the third Monday in July.

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Come on, what did you expect?

We are currently in the midst of one of the most important times in college athletics; Conferences like the SEC and the Big Ten are negotiating with senators on issues related to the future of the industry. Recent negotiations center around a potential agreement that conferences would not be allowed to expand to more than 20 teams, and this is just the latest chapter in this ongoing saga.

So, what about the ongoing discussions about the SEC breaking away from others and governing itself if legislation is not passed in the Senate?

“This is real. People talked about it,” Greg Sankey said at the opening of SEC Media Days. “They commented on frustrations that brought them to the point of looking for something different. “I don’t believe that’s a leverage point.

“We’ve regulated ourselves more aggressively than our peers in the environment. … What you’re hearing comes from a culture where we can regulate ourselves.”

No, the conference is not using this as a gimmick. But this will also be the latest example of college athletics trying to move outside the NCAA structure.

Lost in the scramble of nearly 1,000 media members in Tampa are the disparate conversations taking place between radio stations, podcasts, television hits and stand-ups.

Most people want to get to the upcoming action on the field. But in the meantime, there will be debate about what college athletics will actually look like in five years.

But if you think competition between conferences is on hiatus before the season starts, you’re unaware of the ongoing struggles outside of the fight to pass legislation.

Michigan decided Monday morning was the perfect time to release the findings of a $12 million investigation into its athletic department, largely based on the firing of former coach Sherrone Moore.

Warde Manuel resigns, Michigan releases outline of findings

Ah, perfect timing that the Wolverines athletic department decided to reveal some talking points of its investigation into the firing of Sherrone Moore and past violations during SEC commissioner Greg Sankey’s opening statement.

After nearly seven months of investigation by outside law firm Jenner & Block, which was hired by Michigan to also investigate the culture of the Wolverines athletic department, a draft of the findings was finally released Monday morning.

Michigan’s investigation into Sherrone Moore and the athletic department has cost over $11.5 million so far

University of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore stands next to the school’s athletic director Warde Manuel during a press conference at the Junge Family Champions Center on January 27, 2024 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Multiple NCAA investigations, firings, scandals, and even an FBI investigation into a member of the football staff led the school to hire an outside firm; This comes after Sherrone Moore was fired for having an affair with staff member Paige Shiver.

So what did the investigation reveal about athletic director Warde Manuel’s actions over the last five years? Enough to send him on his way in about six months, but not without praising him for the leadership he provided to Michigan.

“The cultural review found that Warde Manuel demonstrated significant leadership strength, particularly his commitment to student-athletes.” Michigan noted. “It also identified failures by Athletic Department employees to act quickly and effectively on allegations of misconduct.”

In its announcement, the school also noted that AD Warde Manuel will leave his position at the end of this calendar year.

“The review also found interference at the highest levels, poor oversight and failures of accountability by university leadership. This must change,” President Domenico Grasso said in a video statement. he said.

That was a far cry from the answers given in a Q&A on the school’s website about what was found in a multi-million dollar study. So, were widespread abuses detected during the internal audit?

“No. Neither the investigation nor the culture review found that abuses were widespread across the department.

“The culture review found that weaknesses in accountability, organizational structure, oversight and reporting created conditions where misconduct was not always addressed consistently, promptly or in accordance with University expectations.”

Football was talked about for a week after Lane Kiffin took to the podium

If you want to have real conversations about what’s going to happen on the field this season, don’t worry.

Thanks to Lane Kiffin, the 2026 circus between LSU and Ole Miss will arrive in Tampa later this week.

Frankly, it will be interesting to watch Kiffin’s speeches, but the Tigers’ head coach seems more subdued in person compared to his social media presence.

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LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin speaks during a press conference at the LSU Football Practice Facility in Baton Rouge, La., on Feb. 4, 2026. (Gus Stark/LSU/University Images)

Many eyes will also be on the Texas Longhorns with Arch Manning’s return to SEC Media Days. Is this the year Steve Sarkisian takes his team to the national championship game?

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Whatever happens, the headlines over the next four days will come with plenty of talk about self-governance, disengagement and changing the rules.

But I promise you, real football will be one of the main takeaways from Tampa.