The Michigan football program can't go a day without doing something noteworthy, which would be fantastic news for the program if it weren't for a sign-stealing scandal that has already resulted in a three-game suspension for head coach Jim Harbaugh by the Big Ten with an NCAA investigation still to come. But right now, Michigan is making news for all of the wrong reasons. Today, the Wolverines have announced that linebackers coach Chris Partridge has been fired, per Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.

‘Michigan announces linebackers coach Chris Partridge has been fired. No reason given. Rick Minter, father of defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and a longtime college coach, will serve as linebackers coach going forward.'

Chris Partridge spent five years with the Michigan football program from 2015-19, left in 2020 to take the defensive coordinator job at Ole Miss, and then returned to Michigan to serve as linebackers coach before the start of the 2023 season. Partridge is not the first member of the Wolverines staff that has been relieved of his duties this season, though it remains unclear if Partridge's departure (say that five times fast) has anything to do with the Connor Stalions-led sign-stealing scheme. Michigan has not yet provided a reason for the firing.

Despite all of the chaos coming from the Michigan football sidelines, the Wolverines are still very much alive for a third-consecutive College Football Playoff appearance. Michigan handled business on the road without Jim Harbaugh last week at Penn State, but still have a road test against Maryland coming up tomorrow and a huge home clash versus the Ohio State Buckeyes in just eight days. If the Wolverines survive these next two tests, Jim Harbaugh will be back on the sideline for the Big Ten Championship Game and any further postseason games they play.

As for Chris Partridge's replacement, the Wolverines will be turning to Rick Minter, a longtime former coach and the father of Wolverines defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, to coach the linebackers for the remainder of the season.