Former Michigan football coach Chris Partridge has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the University of Michigan, its athletic director Warde Manuel and the Board of Regents, claiming that the school used him as a scapegoat during a high‑profile sign‑stealing investigation.
According to the complaint, university officials were aware of a sign‑stealing operation that gave the team a competitive edge and also knew for years about former head coach Sherrone Moore’s improper relationship with a staff member, yet they kept the details hidden from the NCAA and the public.
The lawsuit unfolds
The filing further alleges that former university president Santa Ono suppressed an internal investigation into assistant coach Matthew Weiss, who is accused of illegally harvesting thousands of student photographs and personal data using school‑issued devices.
Ono’s alleged directive to Manuel and other key figures to forgo note‑taking during a meeting with the law firm that presented the Weiss findings is presented as evidence of a deliberate effort to erase incriminating records.
The lawsuit contends that Ono and Manuel failed to report the cheating evidence to the Board of Regents, the Compliance Services Office and the NCAA, allowing the scandal to persist without oversight.
Although the NCAA eventually cleared Partridge of wrongdoing, he was dismissed from his position after telling a player to seek legal counsel, a move the plaintiff argues was a pretext for termination.
Aftermath and broader concerns
In a twist, Ono has since left the university to become an executive at the Ellison Institute of Technology, a research organization founded by billionaire Larry Ellison, raising questions about the long‑term implications for the school’s leadership.