BREAKING: Michigan football releases assistant Chris Partridge
In the latest blow to the Michigan football program, U-M football has released assistant coach Chris Partridge effective immediately. This comes on the heels of the university settling on a three-game suspension for head coach Jim Harbaugh, meaning the head coach will miss a game at Maryland and home against Ohio State Nov. 25.
“Effective today, Chris Partridge has been relieved of his duties as a member of the Michigan football staff,” Michigan A.D. Warde Manuel said in a statement. “Rick Minter will serve as the team’s linebackers coach.”
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Harbaugh first hired Partridge in 2015. He was in his fifth season as a member of the Wolverines’ coaching staff and his sixth year with the program overall in 2023. He was rehired Feb. 8, 2023, to begin his second tenure at U-M, to coach the linebackers, replacing George Helow.
Partridge spent the previous three seasons as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the University of Mississippi (2020-22). He was the Rebels’ primary defensive play-caller in 2022. During his time in Oxford, Ole Miss tied the school record for most wins in a season with 10 during the 2021 season. Partridge helped make a massive improvement in the Rebel defense over the past few seasons, with his safeties increasing their production each season. The program also tied the record for the most players drafted with six during the 2022 NFL Draft, including four players on the defensive side of the ball.
Prior to joining the Ole Miss staff, Partridge spent five seasons on staff at Michigan beginning as the program’s director of player personnel. He served as the team’s special teams coordinator for four seasons (2016-19), which included two seasons as safeties coach and two seasons as linebackers coach. Partridge was the Wolverines’ director of player personnel in 2015.
Partridge was also an outstanding recruiter. He initially helped Michigan make inroads in New Jersey, his home state, and has continued on an upward trajectory since. He helped lead a defensive unit that has ranked among the nation’s best during his first stint on the U-M staff. The Wolverines ranked first or second nationally in pass defense in each of his four seasons and helped make the defense one of the stoutest third-down units in the country over that span.
A report from Yahoo Sports said that evidence was turned in from the NCAA on others potentially involved in funding the sign-stealing operation and on Partridge “attempting to destroy computer evidence” pertaining to the investigation, not involvement in Stalions’ activities.
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