Ex-Michigan LBs coach Chris Partridge says he had ‘no knowledge’ of alleged sign-stealing

Former Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge said he had “no knowledge whatsoever” of illegal sign-stealing within the football program, in a statement issued on social media Monday. Additionally, Partridge said that he did not destroy evidence related to the NCAA’s investigation into Michigan’s alleged in-person scouting scheme.

Michigan fired Partridge on Nov. 17 without disclosing a reason. Two Michigan sources said that the school believed Partridge interfered with the NCAA’s investigation into the alleged in-person scouting scheme but hadn’t determined at that time if he was directly involved.

“The manner in which the termination of my employment and my role as a Coach at Michigan has been reported is inaccurate and has resulted in people speculating and making assumptions about my knowledge of, and connection to, the sign-stealing allegations within the football program,” Partridge said.

“I want to be clear: I had no knowledge whatsoever of any in-person or illegal scouting, or illegal sign stealing. Additionally, at no point did I destroy any evidence related to an ongoing investigation,” Partridge said.

Partridge said that he was fired because of a failure “to abide by the University directive not to discuss an ongoing NCAA investigation with anyone associated with the Michigan Football Program.”

The letter concluded, “While I am extremely disappointed by the University’s decision to terminate my employment, their decision does not change my continued love and support of Coach Jim Harbaugh, the coaches and the players of Team 144 as they continue on their quest for a National Championship!”

The news of Partridge’s firing came a day after Michigan and the Big Ten announced they had resolved their legal dispute and that coach Jim Harbaugh would serve the rest of his three-game suspension as punishment for the scouting and sign-stealing scandal. Harbaugh missed Saturday’s game at Maryland and Michigan’s regular-season finale against Ohio State . He’s expected to return when the Wolverines (12-0) face the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten championship game Saturday.

Before his firing, Partridge was in his second stint on Michigan’s staff after joining the program as director of player personnel in 2015. He was promoted to an on-field coaching position the following season and coached at Michigan until 2020, when he left for a coaching position at Ole Miss . An industry source said Partridge was one of the coaches who helped former Michigan recruiting analyst Connor Stalions develop a role with the program during his previous stint at Michigan.

(Photo: Jaime Crawford / )