The fallout from the Michigan sign-stealing scandal continues to…fallout.
A week after football analyst Connor Stalions resigned from his position and a day after head coach Jim Harbaugh agreed to serve the remainder of his three-game suspension, Michigan Athletics director Warde Manuel announced that linebackers coach Chris Partridge was fired.
Partridge was on his second stint with the Michigan coaching staff. He served as a defensive assistant from 2015 to 2019 before spending three years at Ole Miss and returning to Ann Arbor.
Linebackers Coach Chris Partridge speaks with Michael Barrett, #23 of the Blue Team, during the second quarter of the Michigan Football spring game at Michigan Stadium on April 1, 2023, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)
While Manuel did not give a reason for Partridge’s dismissal, Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger says the move is connected to the sign-stealing scandal.
“Michigan leaders were presented new evidence this week in the NCAA’s investigation into its advance scouting scheme,” Dellenger posted on X.
Michigan leaders were presented new evidence this week in the NCAA’s investigation into its advance scouting scheme, sources tell @DanWetzel & me.
The materials, presumably, have altered its approach. UM dropped legal action vs Big Ten. Today, it fired assistant Chris Partridge
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 17, 2023
Partridge was reportedly not involved in the actual sign-stealing but in the cover-up of the scheme, according to Yahoo Sports.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh (Steve Branscombe/Getty Images)
Michigan is being investigated for conducting an elaborate in-person, same-season sign-stealing scheme in which Michigan assistants and analysts would attend the games of teams on the Wolverine’s schedule with the intent of stealing their future opponent’s signs.
The NCAA prohibits in-person scouting of opponents in the same season.