Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel is facing another round of ugly allegations, this time through a federal lawsuit filed by former football assistant Chris Partridge against the University of Michigan, Manuel, Santa Ono, the Michigan Board of Regents and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti.
Partridge, who was fired during the 2023 season after being accused of discussing the investigation with a player, says he was punished for something he did not do. He was later proven innocent of those charges, and the lawsuit stems from that fallout.
According to reporting from Trey Wallace of Outkick and Fox Sports, the amended complaint includes claims that Manuel knew about Connor Stalions’ sign-stealing scheme and had prior knowledge of the affair between Sherrone Moore and Paige Shiver. The filing also says information about the sign-stealing operation surfaced during the Matt Weiss investigation.
There is also a claim in the lawsuit that a Michigan football assistant coach went to Paige Shiver’s family in an effort to get her to go public about the affair, which she ultimately reported to Manuel.
Those are allegations, not proven facts, and none of them have been adjudicated in court.
Still, the lawsuit adds another damaging layer to what has already become a messy stretch for Manuel. Fans have long questioned how much he knew about major developments inside the program, including the Dusty May situation, when May left for the Dallas Mavericks out of nowhere. Some around the program believed the move should have been obvious, but Manuel did not see it that way.
The broader picture under Manuel has been one scandal after another, from NCAA investigations to personnel decisions that have drawn plenty of criticism. Even with Michigan winning national championships in football in 2023 and men’s basketball in 2025-26, plus Final 8 runs by the baseball program, hockey program and women’s basketball team during his tenure, the off-field turbulence has kept piling up.
A Michigan Board of Regents meeting is scheduled for Thursday, and it is expected that Manuel will accept a buyout, bringing an up-and-down run to an end.
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