A former Michigan assistant coach has widened the fallout from the Wolverines’ sign-stealing saga with an amended lawsuit that says university officials knew about the scheme before the 2023 season and did nothing to report it.
The filing names athletic director Warde Manuel and former president Santa Ono as defendants and alleges they learned of the operation in January 2023, after evidence was found on a hard drive during an unrelated investigation into another staff member. According to the lawsuit, officials did not take the matter to the NCAA or the board of regents. It also claims employees were told not to take notes, a move meant to avoid possible disclosure.
Chris Partridge says he wound up serving as the scapegoat once the scandal became public. He was on Jim Harbaugh’s staff during Michigan’s 2023 title run, a season that ended with the Wolverines winning the national championship even as the controversy swirled around the program. The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for games during the episode, and the NCAA later handed down penalties that included a show-cause order.
The lawsuit also brings up an alleged inappropriate relationship involving former head coach Sherrone Moore, saying administrators had known about it for years but failed to act. Moore lost his job in December 2025 after the relationship came to light and later faced misdemeanor charges tied to the incident.
Michigan has hired investigators to examine the athletics program, a review that reportedly has cost more than $11 million. The findings have not been released publicly. Manuel’s future has also come under scrutiny in the aftermath, though he recently said he plans to remain athletic director.
At the center of the original scandal was former staffer Connor Stalions, who allegedly used electronic devices and in-person scouting to steal signals. The story dominated the 2023 season as Michigan defended itself against sanctions and kept moving under new leadership after Harbaugh left. The program’s championship still sparks debate, with some questioning how to view the title and others pointing to the team’s dominance on the field.
Michigan has not offered a detailed response to the latest allegations, and the lawsuit is likely to keep the story in the spotlight as the legal process plays out.
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