​Warde Manuel remains the athletics director at the University of Michigan. How much longer that is the case is uncertain.Manuel and the school are discussing issues around a potential buyout, two people with knowledge of the situation told the Free Press.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe talks come after Michigan stakeholders, including the regents, president and attorneys, were last month orally presented with the findings from an investigation over the last six months that looked into the athletic department’s culture and what was known about former football coach Sherrone Moore’s affair with his then-executive assistant, Paige Shiver. Moore was pleaded guilty to charges related to entering Shiver’s apartment and allegedly threatening her with a knife. He received a sentence of 18 months of probation and a fine.A person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports that Manuel conducted meetings this week and maintained to staff that he wanted to remain as athletics director and would not be quitting. The person requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.Manuel spoke Tuesday with Sam Webb on WTKA-1050 and did not deny buyout discussions had taken place.”I don’t know what the future is going to be and how long I’ll be in this position,” Manuel told Webb. “I do know that I’m here today and I do know that I’m going to be here tomorrow. And I do feel confident in the things I have done here at Michigan. Not for me, not for Warde — but on behalf of the University of Michigan, our student-athletes, our coaches, our staff, our fans, our donors, to drive success with our student-athletes academically and athletically.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”I’ve had several conversations over the last six or seven months about the future and things that have happened and different opportunities and different ways that things could go. There’s no doubt about it. I’m not going to hide from that conversation that occurs. But as it relates to where things are going to go, I’m not 100% certain.”MURKY FUTURE: Hard to see embattled Michigan AD Warde Manuel emerging unscathedThere has been significant highs and lows during Manuel’s tenure. Michigan has won on the field at unprecedented rates, including its first football title since 1997 and its first men’s basketball championship, and the athletic department’s financials have significantly improved during the decade Manuel’s been at the helmHowever, there has also been a litany of scandals across a myriad of sports: two NCAA investigations into football, a former football coach fired and investigated by the FBI, a head football coach who had an affair with a staffer, a hockey coach with a questionable culture, a basketball coach who smacked another team’s coach on the court and more.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhen the U-M insider was asked by the Freep if the decision that is in the works behind the scenes is one that comes because Manuel is tired after years of