Chris Partridge Released
The reason for Michigan's capitulation seems a bit clearer, as Warde Manuel announced this morning that linebackers coach Chris Partridge has been relieved.
"Effective today, Chris Partridge has been relieved of his duties as a member of the Michigan Football staff. Rick Minter will serve as the team’s linebackers coach."
It appears that the investigation uncovered either prior knowledge of the scheme by Partridge, active cover-up, or both. Several people at Michigan confirmed that the players were interviewed this week. Stalions reported to Partridge, but according to people I've spoken to, there was no evidence prior to this week to show that Partridge knew how Stalions was getting his signs. The timing of this strongly suggests Michigan only recently learned of Partridge's involvement during the course of the investigation, and that this was a major factor in deciding to settle with the Big Ten.
Rick Minter is Jesse Minter's father, the former head coach of Cincinnati, and two-time defensive coordinator at Notre Dame.
We'll have MGoRadio in about 15 minutes. Yay!
November 17th, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^
FFS
Make it stop
November 17th, 2023 at 12:09 PM ^
There's no clear floor here. I'm bracing myself for a forfeit against OSU and Big Nut setting fire to the stadium.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:27 PM ^
If this is the Friday news dump before the Maryland game, imagine next week.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:59 PM ^
I don't think this is a news dump, this is from M's side being transparent.
I still think this is overblown. It's not nothing but it's...meh. And sorta bass ackwards, the punishment now fits the crime.
CS did a dumb thing that gave M no advantage over other teams operating in a gray area. That's the "cheating" and it's, bluntly, nothing.
Some booster funded his scheme. Slightly more than nothing? Why not just pay players so you actually get something for your money. Still, this is barely anything.
Partridge then tried to coverup the crime. That's dumb, That's really the worst thing here. Suspending the HC for that is fair, altho 3 games seems excessive.
But none of these actions affected our on-field performance, so the "cheating" is...our booster made dumb payments and the coverup was way worse than the crime? Doesn't really stain the last 3 years for me. We still have everything to play for. We need to get our house in order, yea. But...it just doesn't bother me. Let's go win some games.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:35 PM ^
The problem is that this is shaping up like Watergate: at first it seemed like nothing, but bad news just kept trickling in to the point that the entire country became captivated. Through it all, there was never any evidence that the boss was involved... until the "smoking gun" tape dropped.
Let's hope there's never a smoking gun tape.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
naw at first it seemed like the biggest scandal ever, and then it looked like (and was) an overreaction to something that was nothing, and then it turned into a typical CFB scandal where the coverup was worse than the crime and the rulebreakers are being dealt with.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
The only way they will stop is when Michigan loses, and has no chance at the CFP. They stopped when they figured Michigan would lose to Penn State with Harbaugh's suspension. Then started back up again when that didn't work.
November 17th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
The timing and progression of all these leaks makes me feel like this is a hit job. It's way too orchestrated to think anything else.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:02 PM ^
Oh FFS. This signals that Partridge likely knew or was actively involved with the scheme. Stop with the self-victimization because it is blinding you my friend.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:12 PM ^
Lighten up, Francis. I'm not arguing any of the facts to date, just the timing and incremental severity of the leaks. It's hard to feel that the NCAA is finding this stuff on the fly and it just happens to drop in time to warrant suspensions and firing before games. Michigan should be held to account for every violation, but the process has been BS.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
The NCAA finds out about this, this week and responds to Michigan. Michigan, in response, drops its lawsuit and fires the LB coach.
Why are you concerned about this process - they are responding in real time to a complaint, and they are not the wrongdoer here. If Michigan had done nothing wrong, they would not have voluntarily dismissed their own lawsuit and fired (now) 2 members of the football staff.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:43 PM ^
I have yet to see any of these multitudinous Mgolawyers parse the actual rule Stalions is accused of breaking.
It appears to this lay person that the nefarious genius found a legitimate loophole in the rule, and that's why the other B10 ADs pounded pettyti to go after JH on the "sportsmanship" angle.
And why they demanded it happen fast, before the fact no rule may have actually been broken became part of the narrative?
And that amateurs grabbing sideline shots from the stands don't have nearly the impact of professional coaches vetting & sharing the same data - apparently completely legally?!
I guess I'm not clear why Michigan doesn't continue to hammer that they demand the process play out, rather than capitulate piece by piece? What's the upside?
November 17th, 2023 at 2:08 PM ^
The conference unilaterally blocking them from the conference championship game and thus a chance at a national championship would certainly be a potential downside...
November 17th, 2023 at 5:36 PM ^
This reply is to WFNY, umumum, and any others thinking we pulled one over on pettyti & got off easy -
Nothing says he can't still do any or all of the things you're worried about!
He could still (try to) prohibit us from playing for the B10 title.
Whatever UM knows that we don't yet could still come to light, and the B10 (and ultimately the ncaa) could still impose more draconian penalties - despite accepting this 3-game suspension for Harbaugh.
The point remains, it appears the rule wasn't "technically" broken, and any competitive advantage gained by this fudging around the edge of the rule is no greater - in fact likely less than - the legal advantage of just doing what our opponents have apparently already done. Which is just share the signs with each other.
2 questions arise then:
Why didn't Michigan do what other teams legally did?
And, with that water quite fully under the bridge now, why aren't we defending the letter of the law more vigorously?
If no rule was actually "broken," then has sportsmanship been anymore violated by Stalions than by Day?
November 17th, 2023 at 4:40 PM ^
because they know more than you
November 17th, 2023 at 5:35 PM ^
You're not paying attention then because multiple lawyers have "parsed" the rule. Go look at Sopwith's comments from a couple weeks ago. or LLG
November 17th, 2023 at 5:42 PM ^
To what end?
Do Sopwith et al believe the rule was "broken" or just fudged?
The spies were not employees of UM, and the letter of the law forbids staff from scouting, not friends or wannabes.
If the prevailing legal wisdom says I'm wrong, I'm dying to hear it!
November 17th, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
As they say in the UK, BOLLOCKS!
November 17th, 2023 at 2:06 PM ^
This also went pear shaped or tits up, can have your choice
November 17th, 2023 at 1:53 PM ^
This signals that Partridge cleared cookies on a web browser.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:22 PM ^
Nonsense.
The first leaks, when the story broke and something came out each evening -- yes, that was an orchestrated PR campaign.
This looks organic -- no news for a while, some insider rumblings, and then news coming out in a coordinated fashion. Yes, it's right before the next game -- against Maryland, who's a three-touchdown underdog, mind you -- but it's also right before the scheduled court appearance.
The timing isn't suspicious here. This is what investigations look like.
November 17th, 2023 at 2:17 PM ^
That's literally the way investigations work.
November 17th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
At some point this has got to be exhausting for the players. Not great for the coaches either, of course. But sheesh.
November 17th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
Rick Minter 2022 Coaches Clinic "You gotta be a tough mother fucker to play for Michigan"
I'm comfortable with Rick coaching
November 17th, 2023 at 12:10 PM ^
So it's specifically the Defensive Co-Ordinator's mother we're talking about.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
This addition is an incredible contingency move to reduce any internal strife. Experienced, calming force with the players and staff.
The family connection should also accelerate the ramp-up since Rick can obviously read, interpret and advise the DC as well as the existing staff. Now DC Minter can focus entirely on game planning.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:40 PM ^
Very experience laden group he is taking over. Not worried about that in the least.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
"Oh sure, you gotta be a tough motherfucker to PLAY for UM, but try screwing a mom when you're a coach, and...."
- Josh Gattis, probably
November 17th, 2023 at 1:17 PM ^
Thanks for the levity. That is well-done.
November 17th, 2023 at 11:57 AM ^
If the apparent reason, is the reason: what a foolish way to jeopardize your team and your career. Sheesh.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:39 PM ^
Partridge might have been aware or complicit with the scheme. Or it could be that because Stalions was under him he had to fall on the sword.
Edit: Great he was aware and tried to cover it up. Nice. Makes him the bigger a-hole in this deal IMO.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:16 PM ^
That stuff flies in the SEC. Now watch OSU try to hire him.
November 17th, 2023 at 11:57 AM ^
Stinks because he was an ace recruiter.
If they were bothering players during game weeks, that could also explain Harbaugh's willingness to go along.
The #1 thing he cares about is his players.
November 17th, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
Good grief! Let's just win the rest of our games. Onward!
November 17th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
I find this news fowl.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:02 PM ^
IMHO, that's a good picture of the odds that Harbaugh will sign a new contract now.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:30 PM ^
Yup, feels like a turning point for sure. Pretty much banking on Sherrone taking over next year. Hopefully Hart gets a shot at OC. At least there are options for a succession plan this time
November 17th, 2023 at 6:17 PM ^
Because Harbaugh is sick of the NCAA, or because UM will not offer a contract, or both?
November 17th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
This sucks (not the firing, the potential cover up). It sucks for the school, for the team, for the players, and for the fans.
That said, and I take no joy in this (ed: ok, maybe a little), but I told you so.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:05 PM ^
You seem to be taking joy in it.
All your downvotes are because you acting like a giant dick, not bc you were right or wrong
November 17th, 2023 at 12:11 PM ^
You're right, I take immense joy in being right, particularly when doing so gives willfully blind homers (including myself on occasion) an opportunity to take a look in the mirror. I'll admit that some might view it as being a dick, sure, and maybe that's a reason for the downvote. But I'm also happy to be the one to give others an outlet to vent, even if it's through something small like a downvote on a message board. This whole situation sucks for the school and the program.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:16 PM ^
You should become a broken clock, you'll have immense joy twice a day, every day!
November 17th, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
Dude you’re acting like a douche.
So either you know it and you’re a douche or you don’t know it which might make you a bigger douche.
Either way you are a douche.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:10 PM ^
Said this to another person so I'll say it to you - It's a good lesson to learn that there are times even when you are right, that being an a** about it doesn't help your case.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
Seriously, at what point did we all become so damn fragile? This situation sucks. Someone dangles the hope that it wouldn't get any worse and I basically said something to the effect of, "Might not want to go there yet, there's always more." I get lambasted then because no one wants to consider that uncomfortable possibility. Cool, no worries. Later events (not terribly surprising, if we're being honest) come out proving me right and I point it out. And that makes people uncomfortable, so we go through another round of, that guy's being mean to me so I'm going to tell him so. That makes me feel better. Now I have someone to be mad at. Again, cool. No worries.
I'll double down. There's probably more bad news coming. I don't know what, and I don't have a source, but maybe rather than being blind homers, we can take a look at the situation a little more soberly than we have been. And maybe we can be a little more discerning with the propaganda swirling around on all sides. Because at the end of the day, the truth is what matters, not our feelings.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:50 PM ^
Thanks for your insights and willingness to talk, knowing that you will pay retribution for being correct in your analysis, and for pointing that out to those who don't like what you had to say. Some people really do not appreciate being proven wrong.
This whole episode is finally starting to make sense. Bad judgement by a couple of staff members and maybe an unwillingness to admit wrong-doing until backed into a corner?
Personally, I hope this brings all of the team members and coaching staff even closer together and helps them win out.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:33 PM ^
- You can also make the case that fragility is saying "I told you so" and going as far as to provide a link to an internet message board comment you feel is relevant to help boost your already self-centered ego.
- It appears you thrive off validation but you seem to be pretty self-sustaining in that regard. Nothing makes me feel more comfortable when unhinged posters point out they were right about something as it let's me know that I'm not as fragile or absorbed as someone like you. If you were trying to convey confidence, your motive has greatly sold you short.
- You also don't need to use italics, as I'm sure most people besides myself stopped reading your nonsense after using the word Seriously, as that shouldn't take up space in vocabulary.
- Lastly, your lame attempt at providing context assumes that those on the board don't already know or assume the information you pass off is the act of some sort of fortune teller. "More bad news" you say? Oh shit, we hadn't even considered that... Truth is, we get it and don't really need trolls like yourself to reinforce common belief.
Ok, I think we're good here.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:51 PM ^
Didn't you listen to the last round, meathead?
Pay attention, you're sayin' the same shit that he said.
Matter of fact, dawg, here's a pencil.
Go home, write some shit, make it suspenseful.
And don't come back until somethin' dope hits you.
Fuck it, you can take the mic home with you.
November 17th, 2023 at 5:44 PM ^
Great reference. I also agree with you. The downvotes are from people that seem to think any sort of pessimism, skepticism, or dose of reality should be censored like it's NSFW.
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