Michigan football made an announcement on Friday morning regarding the dismissal of linebackers coach Chris Partridge.
The program revealed that Rick Minter, former head coach at Cincinnati and father of defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, will step in to assume the position.
According to team spokesman Dave Ablauf, “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.”
Partridge, who was earning $500,000 this season, becomes the second staff member to depart in recent weeks following the resignation of recruiting analyst Connor Stalions on November 3 amid allegations of an illegal sign-stealing scheme. Investigations by the NCAA are ongoing.
A report from Yahoo Sports claimed that Partridge “allegedly participated in the destruction of evidence on a computer after the scandal broke,” although there is no allegation that he was aware of Stalions’ advanced scouting.
The announcement of Partridge’s firing came at 11:20 a.m., followed by additional comments from the university later. Associate athletic director Kurt Svoboda emphasized the commitment to due process and cooperation with the NCAA’s investigation. The university refrained from further comments due to employee privacy laws.
Partridge, who was in his fifth season with U-M’s coaching staff, was initially hired back as an analyst in February before taking over as linebackers coach following the departure of George Helow. He had previously served as the team’s special teams coordinator and later became the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss.
His initial tenure with Michigan saw him earn recognition as a top national recruiter and contribute significantly to the team’s recruitment efforts from New Jersey, bringing in talents like Rashan Gary, Jabrill Peppers, and Cesar Ruiz.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who earlier praised Partridge’s coaching abilities and his contribution to the team’s culture, is facing a suspension for the final three games of the regular season in connection to the sign-stealing scandal. He’ll travel with the team but won’t be allowed in the stadium during these games.
