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 12:57 PM ^
No suspension- direct to firing. What bugs me here is doesn’t this de facto admit that what Stallions did was against the rules? I thought we were still of the position that filming and scouting are different and filming not against the rules?
We have basically accepted punishment again before actually being notified of allegations or even hearing definitively that it is a violation in the first place…
November 17th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
If Partridge covered up stuff, whether that stuff was legal or not, he has to go. It is certainly contrary to the "we cooperate fully with the investigation".
November 17th, 2023 at 3:25 PM ^
The details suggest that Partridge had nothing to do with the scheme - he merely impeded the ncaa investigation (and went counter to directives from his superiors to cooperate). That is a fire-able offense in any organization.
It really has no bearing on the legality if what Stallions did (or is alleged to have done).
November 17th, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^
So will Harbaugh except the new contract now? or has he had enough of this shit
November 17th, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
I can honestly see it going either way. If we win it all he gives a big fuck you to the NCAA and goes back to win a Super Bowl.
Or he doubles down in Harbaugh fashion and keeps calling the NCAA out on its hypocrisy and bullshit and keeps rubbing other coaches the wrong way. And we still win it all!
November 17th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
Never would have imagined I would have nostalgia for the vibes around playing UNLV
November 17th, 2023 at 3:26 PM ^
No one imagined UNLV would be 8-2 at this point either.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:11 PM ^
At least it’s over now … well ok maybe after the NCAA lays down another hammer … what an absolute shit show this obscure fucking rule has brought on … the pressure just put on these coaches and players is like nothing ever seen in sports
November 17th, 2023 at 1:14 PM ^
This needs to end.
This whole thing was dumb and granted a minimal advantage at best.
Just put up a giant sign above the door to Schembechler Hall and make the coaches repeat this mantra before they are allowed to step inside.
"Don't do stupid shit."
That's all, simple, four words. Maybe, finally Harbaugh will figure out that the little shit needs to be paid attention to as well. This whole thing was dumb and unneccesary.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:31 PM ^
Harbaugh will figure out that the little shit needs to be paid attention to as well.
He only has so much bandwidth. How is he supposed to know exactly what everyone on staff is doing 24/7? He needs to be clean himself and make it clear that he expects that of others.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
Hence why you conduct a full investigation before you punish. This is why I don't believe the B1G will relent or the NCAA won't punish further. Anything else they find, they can just say "well this changes the deal" and punish Michigan more.
They should have fought for their right to get a normal investigation done. Also we had 2 people fired from the staff for this. Kansas had boosters paying players, and it took 5 years for a 4 game suspension for 2 people in a 32 game season.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
Exactly … this is far from over … but yeah imagine if the B1G and NCAA had the ethics to actually investigate first
November 17th, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
Yep. The Big Ten doing this preemptive punishment only means they have license to suspend Jim more every time something new comes up. What a dumb situation to be in
November 17th, 2023 at 1:25 PM ^
People need to get a grip. The only actual rule violation here is a low-level staffer with delusions of grandeur violating an obsolete rule that the NCAA almost scrapped 2 years ago. No one has been part of a “cover up” with regard to the NCAA investigation.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:35 PM ^
You don't just fire a coach and suddenly cave in to the B1G unless something is wrong. Maybe "cover up" is not entirely correct, but something Partridge did went against the rules or the "we cooperate fully" mantra.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:28 PM ^
Win… the whole… fucking… thing
November 17th, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
Fucking joke.
Let's start digging up all the dirt at Bama, UGA OSU and others and I absolutely guarantee what happened with SIGNGATE!!!! would make the others look like serial killers.
This is so fucking absurd. The NCAA has had a hard-on for Harbaugh since the satellite camps and then his comments on rev share. It doesn't take a genius to see what this is about....
The NCAA which is supposed to help and promote college athletes does everything in their power to limit their upside, then shit on a coach and label him a "cheater" based on what is at most a level 3 violation. ESPN, Thamel, etc getting clicks for the outrage machine and rival fanbases with soft shit teams crying like bitches.
I know with 98% certainty that UM has a ton of dirt on OSU...I pray the weaponize it and leave the B1G.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:31 PM ^
This dirt ? What exactly are they waiting for with this mysterious dirt they supposedly have ?
November 17th, 2023 at 1:34 PM ^
This is interesting thats it Patridge being let go. He was here back in the early years of Harbaugh and by all accounts was a really good coach. He then goes to the SEC for a few years and comes back and now we have this situation of sign stealing and he is involved.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:35 PM ^
It’s all a clever scheme by the SEC to take down Michigan !
November 17th, 2023 at 1:35 PM ^
Well, shit. I guess I need to eat my words from yesterday. They didn’t just cave. There is just no way you can go forward knowing that the Big Ten would call Partridge to testify in open court. Even if you fire him before, you cannot have him testify. (Especially, if you fire him first.)
Apologies to the AD and President Ono. You got dealt a crap hand from a stacked deck.
This doesn’t change the fact we were treated like shit over a trivial issue by the conference we helped make. I hope we don’t resort to self-flagellation and stay around these MFers.
Also, is Partridge getting a show cause? If not, I bet Rutgers hires him in the next 45 days.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:39 PM ^
The notion that Stallions operated entirely alone never passed the smell test. We are now in plausible territory.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:38 PM ^
So you're assuming Partridge was running the operation, or was at least aware of it before this blow-up? Based on what?
November 17th, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
SHOULD HAVE NEVER BROUGHT HIM BACK. I said this repeatedly. He was never a better coach than George Helow and the things I’ve heard about him were always shady. He’s a decent guy. Was never a fit for Michigan for so many reasons. Here’s one of them.
November 17th, 2023 at 2:08 PM ^
What the actual fuck is going on?
November 17th, 2023 at 2:10 PM ^
It’s going to get worse.
November 17th, 2023 at 2:59 PM ^
How? They cut the deal with the B1G
November 17th, 2023 at 2:22 PM ^
Really really really not great. BUT the first news out suggested that he wasn't dealing with Stalions, only helped try to remove evidence. I tend to prefer to hear (if it's truly the case) that Partridge was who Stalions reported to. Because if not, we're back to waiting for who that was. This suggests a buffer, at the least, and potential this may stop.
The booster, OTOH, suggests that more people knew, unfortunately. Every time you add a person, you add potential for greater involvement. I greatly doubt that we are out of the woods yet. I also have never seen it showed definitively that the data didn't help us. Which is going to be a thing at some point, too.
November 17th, 2023 at 2:23 PM ^
Let's not forget that Partridge apparently let the University, President, AD, coaches, players and alums hang themselves by not coming forward. No honor.
November 17th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
Just win on the field.
Particularly against Charmin U. That will be the best revenge for all of this.
November 17th, 2023 at 2:59 PM ^
Can we do a little vetting of hires?
November 17th, 2023 at 4:08 PM ^
Well, there go the "lone wolf" and "plausible deniability" arguments right out the window at high speed. This whole fiasco keeps getting worse and worse.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^
Sam Webb have any updates the Partridge firing ?
November 17th, 2023 at 5:20 PM ^
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4mxZqBm4UM&ab_channel=TheMichiganInsider
There you go. I just started listening, but it sounds like Sam is implying that Partridge was advising players on what to say or not say during NCAA interviews.
November 17th, 2023 at 6:36 PM ^
So was that Chris Partridge on the CMU sidelines?
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