A former Michigan football coach has filed a lawsuit alleging that the university and its leadership were aware of former staffer Connor Stalions' sign-stealing scandal and actively worked to conceal evidence of the scheme. The amended lawsuit, filed by ex-coach Chris Partridge, claims that university leadership discovered evidence of the elaborate sign-stealing operation on former assistant coach Matthew Weiss's hard drive in January 2023 during an investigation into Weiss.
According to the suit, former Michigan president Santa Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel found the evidence but did not disclose it to the NCAA or the school's board of regents. Weiss was subsequently charged with multiple crimes, including unauthorized computer access and aggravated identity theft. Partridge also alleges that Ono instructed university employees not to take notes related to the Weiss inquiry to prevent potential disclosure.
The lawsuit also claims the university was aware for years of an "inappropriate relationship between former head football coach Sherrone Moore and a subordinate employee" without taking action to protect the employee. Moore was later fired amid allegations of an inappropriate relationship with executive assistant Paige Shiver, which led to his arrest after he went to Shiver's home.
These two incidents, the sign-stealing scandal and the relationship allegations, have drawn national attention and criticism to the Michigan athletic department. The sign-stealing scandal ultimately resulted in a three-game suspension for then-head coach Jim Harbaugh. The NCAA later imposed a 10-year show-cause penalty on Harbaugh and placed the football program on four years of probation. Harbaugh has since left Michigan to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
The university commissioned an investigation into its athletics program, led by the Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block, in response to the high-profile incidents. Partridge, who is now with the Seattle Seahawks, is suing Michigan, its board of trustees, and Manuel, asserting he was made a "scapegoat" in the aftermath of the sign-stealing scandal.