Tag: Chris Partridge

Former Michigan football LB coach Chris Partridge gets an NFL job

Awesome news! #GoBlue

Last year around this time, a favored son returned home, but not even a year later, unceremoniously, he was gone.

After departing Michigan football for Ole Miss following the 2019 season, Chris Partridge had something of a rumspringa in Oxford before returning to Ann Arbor in 2023. However, Partridge was a casualty of the NCAA investigation into Connor Stalions. With a potential show cause coming from the governing body of college football, Partridge is now NFL-bound.

Though you’d think that Partridge would be following Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers, he’s instead taking a job with Mike Macdonald’s Seattle Seahawks as outside linebackers coach.

Originally coming to Michigan football in 2015 as a recruiting assistant from Paramus (N.J.) Catholic, Partridge was elevated to linebackers coach in 2016. He switched over to coach safeties in 2018 before joining the Rebels as co-defensive coordinator with DJ Durkin. He was elevated to defensive coordinator before the 2022 season.

The Rutgers football linebackers coach big board 1.0

Corey Hetherman is poised to join Minnesota as their defensive coordinator, leaving a potential hole for Rutgers football. As a linebackers coach, Hetherman was an asset to Rutgers. He was an intense personality but was a thorough and well-prepared …

Corey Hetherman is poised to join Minnesota as their defensive coordinator, leaving a potential hole for Rutgers football.

As a linebackers coach, Hetherman was an asset to Rutgers. He was an intense personality but was a thorough and well-prepared assistant who held the linebackers group to a high standard and level.

Replacing Hetherman won’t be easy. He did a solid job of recruiting in addition to being a very strong coach from a technique perspective.

Rutgers has several options within their coaching staff if they want to replace from within. But there are some very good options outside the program as well.

Now, before we get to the list, keep in mind that it is just a list. Some of the names aren’t realistic. Some will have no interest. A few simply aren’t ready.

But as with the hiring of offensive line coach Pat Flaherty last year, doing due diligence can pay off. Rutgers landed a tremendous coach in Flaherty with huge experience. So this list reflects a wide range of possible candidates.

So have fun. And relax. It is just a list.

Scroll down and check out the Rutgers football linebackers coach big board!

Termination letter to Chris Partridge indicates he’s not eligible for rehire to Michigan football

Well, this stinks.

On the eve of the Maryland game, the penultimate contest of the 2023 regular season for Michigan football, the Wolverines got some alarming news: prodigal son and coaching favorite Chris Partridge was dismissed from the program due to the NCAA investigation.

While the details of his firing were unclear, it was deemed that Partridge’s role while NCAA investigators interviewed people on campus was the culprit for his dismissal.

On Wednesday, we learned more details. Via The Athletic’s Austin Meek, who received Partridge’s termination letter from the university, he was fired because he ‘failed to abide by a University directive not to discuss an ongoing NCAA investigation.’

The big blow here is that Partridge is ineligible for rehire by the university. Given that the investigation is ongoing, if he was found to not have any knowledge of Connor Stalions’ sign-stealing scheme, many thought there could be an opportunity to bring him back into the fold once the smoke had cleared. However, it looks as if that will not be the case.

As for now, Michigan is rolling with Rick Minter, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s father, as the interim linebackers coach. Where the Wolverines will go after the Rose Bowl remains a mystery, but below-the-line assistant coach LaTroy Lewis could be a popular choice internally to be elevated to the role once the season has concluded.

Former Michigan football LB coach Chris Partridge issues statement

He makes one big key assertion.

Michigan football has been under intense scrutiny for over a month now as the NCAA has investigated alleged illegal sign stealing. It’s resulted in staffer Connor Stalions’ resignation, Jim Harbaugh being suspended an additional three games (beyond the initial three as self-imposed by the program for a different infraction), to linebackers coach Chris Partridge being fired on the eve of the Maryland game.

On Monday, the once favorite son, Partridge, spoke out, addressing the rumors of his firing.

Out of deep respect and consideration for the young men of Team 144, I waited to issue this statement to avoid additional distractions to the Team as they achieved their goal of defeating Ohio State and completing an undefeated regular season.

Unfortunately, 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. 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.

As explained to me by Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel in person on the morning of November 17, 2023, and as set forth in my termination letter of the same date, signed by Doug Gnodtke, Michigan Athletics Chief of Staff, I was terminated 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.”

I take pride in being a trusted mentor to the athletes that I coach. One of my core values is to be a source of support, through thick and thin, for each and every student-athlete that I am responsible for. I have never wavered from that responsibility. 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 key point is Partridge denying that he destroyed any evidence that the NCAA had in the Stalions investigation. While that won’t get the coach unfired, it is an interesting point.

More on the story as it continues to develop.

Michigan football fires LB coach Chris Partridge

Not good.

It is still unclear what caused a reversal for Michigan Football when it comes to fighting the Big Ten, but on Thursday, there was a clear reversal. And, apparently there are repercussions.

On Friday, Michigan athletic Director Warde Manuel issued a statement announcing that linebackers coach Chris Partridge has been fired. Rick Minter, who has been on the staff as an analyst, and is the father of defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, will fill in as the interim linebackers coach.

Effective today, Chris Partridge has been relieved of his duties as a member of the Michigan Football staff. Rick Minter will serve as the team’s linebackers coach.

More on the story as it develops.

Update (1:59 p.m. EST):

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that Partridge was fired due to discussing the investigation.

Yahoo reports that Partridge was not known to be aware of Connor Stalions’ operation.

Multiple sources say that Partridge is not alleged at this time of knowing about the advanced scouting by Stalions, but acted after the fact to cover up evidence.

More on this story as it develops.

What Chris Partridge said about Michigan football in MSU week

Partridge is always a wealth of information! #GoBlue

Michigan football will need to be particularly sound on the defensive side of the ball this upcoming Saturday when the Wolverines head to East Lansing to take on rival Michigan State. One of two assistant coaches on the staff who have more experience than others in facing the Spartans is maize and blue prodigal son, Chris Partridge.

On Wednesday, Partridge shared his thoughts on the state of the Michigan linebackers, how they’ve performed thus far, as well as what he’s seen on special teams where he works with Jay Harbaugh.

Here is everything Partridge had to say about his units heading into the big rivalry game.

After recruiting Mike Barrett seven years ago, Chris Partridge proud of what he’s become

Such a great story! #GoBlue

Back in 2017, after his second year as an on-field coach for Michigan football, there’s no way that Chris Partridge thought he would be Mike Barrett’s position coach seven years later. But here we are.

Barrett came to Ann Arbor as a defensive player, despite having played quarterback at Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes. He arrived in 2018 and struggled to find his footing, but making a name for himself in 2019 on special teams. He played directly under Partridge both on special teams and, at that time, as a safety, before the coach departed the Wolverines for Ole Miss in 2020.

Now Partridge is back in Ann Arbor coaching linebackers, as he was from 2016-18, and Barrett has grown up — as a player and into the linebacker position after being a safety as well as a viper. Now in his sixth year, Barrett has emerged as a starter and one of Michigan’s best playmakers.

“Yeah, really awesome. Mike was recruited as a defensive player that never played defense before when he got here,” Partridge said. “He was the high school quarterback. So his development through the years, it’s been incredible. He’s developed himself into a bona fide star linebacker and a guy that’s gonna play in the NFL for a long time. And it’s really awesome. Makes me feel really good. Because when you get a guy like that, and you see a vision for them, and then it actually comes to fruition and makes you feel good, right? You convinced him, you convinced his family, ‘Hey! Come up to Michigan, you can play linebacker,’ when they never, never played defense before.”

Barrett also got the honor to be named a team captain this year, one of six — all of whom are seniors, fifth-years, or in Barrett’s case, a sixth-year. Once he heard the news, Partridge really felt like he had seen the player he recruited from SEC country come full circle, and he even decided to have a little fun with it.

Thankfully for Barrett, Partridge didn’t let his prank go too far.

“I’m excited for Mike. And now to see him be a captain — it really is awesome,” Partridge said. “Really proud of him. We pranked his mom. When he got announced captain, I called her and I was like, ‘You need to call Mike right now! You need to tell–‘ She’s like, ‘What has he done now?!’ And then we got on the phone and told them but yeah — it’s a really cool thing to see his development.”

Fans will get a chance to see Barrett in action on Saturday when Michigan football hosts East Carolina for the 2023 season opener. The game will take place at The Big House at noon EDT and will be streamed live on Peacock.

Entering third year, Michigan football LB Jaydon Hood ‘has seen the light now’

Such a good story when a guy works his way into the rotation! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A four-star linebacker from the vaunted state of Florida coming to Michigan where there weren’t really any star linebackers at the time, you would think that Jaydon Hood would have seen the field early and often.

Yet, the recruit who boasted offers from the likes of Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Penn State, and Texas A&M quickly became an afterthought. And he remained one throughout 2022, as well.

Now Hood is getting mentioned by his teammates and coaches alike, having made a big ascent from his first two years to his junior campaign. He figures to be a part of the rotation, which says something given the talent in the room with Junior Colson and Mike Barrett returning and standout Ernest Hausmann having transferred in from Nebraska.

His new position coach, Chris Partridge, says that Hood may have been languishing on the bench, but he appears to have new life.

“Sometimes when guys don’t play early, they kind of get in this abyss, right?” Partridge said. “Especially when guys that are in front of them are coming back. And Mike Barrett, like you said, he’s been here forever. So it’s like Jaydon gets here, and it’s like, ‘Oh, Mike’s in front of me. Oh, Mike’s in front of me, again. Oh, Mike’s in front of me again.’ So they kind of get in this little like, lost area.

“I think that’s where Jaydon was, you know? And maybe the change revived him? Jaydon works really hard, he wants to be good. He wants to contribute. He just wants to be valued on the team, whether it’s special teams, whatever it is, and he’s worked for it. And he’s done a really good job. And he’s improved.”

Partridge has fresh eyes, having come back to Ann Arbor after spending four years at Ole Miss. But what he’s seen from the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas product is a player who has connected the dots, figured things out, and has worked relentlessly to put himself in a position to get onto the field.

“Since the day I started working with him till now, he’s just improved and improved and improved,” Partridge said. “And he keeps working and keeps improving. So, really excited about him. And he’s still he knows he’s still got room to grow. But, I mean, he had a heck of a camp, he’s put together a heck of a camp. And I think he’s seen light now. I mean, this is the best way to say, to describe it.”

Fans will get an opportunity to see Hood in action on Saturday when Michigan football hosts East Carolina for the season opener. The game will kick off at noon EDT and will be streamed live on Peacock.

The biggest change for Michigan football from Chris Partridge’s departure to return

This is really, really good to hear! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It’s not that Schembechler Hall is unrecognizable for Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge as much as it’s finally the conception of the program under Jim Harbaugh realized.

Partridge was originally hired as a behind-the-scenes staff member back in 2015 when Harbaugh arrived in Ann Arbor. The former Paramus (N.J.) Catholic head coach was quickly elevated to linebackers coach in 2016, where he remained for three years before switching to safeties coach. He departed following the 2019 season to be the co-defensive coordinator at Ole Miss before having a single season where he oversaw the entire defense. Now, he’s back up north, and it’s easy for him to see all of the changes in his three-year Michigan hiatus.

“Well, the victory stuff for the Ohio State game, No. 1 — that’s exciting to see,” Partridge said. “You know, it’s funny because I’ve gotten that question from a lot of different areas. I would liken it to this: first of all, the culture here is A-plus — coaches, players — when you walk in this building, when I came back, it is an A-plus culture. And I think if you just think of it like this: when I was here the first time, it was kind of just still developing, right? We weren’t there yet. And we were like — Jim’s culture was developing and who he is. And now it’s like, it embodies who he is, right?”

He continued with a poignant analogy as to how the team plays with the identity of its head coach.

“If you take like a kid, right, you have a baby, and they’re four or five years old. And he’s like, well, are you more like mom, are you more like dad?” Partridge said. “And you don’t really know until now all of a sudden, it’s like, you’re dad. And I think that’s what this team is like — they’re Jim. I mean, they embody him. Hard-working, blue-collar, consistent, they play with no fear. They know he has their back, and they have his back. And that’s what you feel when you come in here. And it kind of started to happen, and then I left and then it happened, so I think that’s the best way to look at it in terms of the differences when I was here, now, coming back.”

Fans will get another opportunity to see if the Wolverines can make it three-straight against Ohio State and three-straight Big Ten championships starting with Saturday’s season opener. Michigan opens 2023 hosting East Carolina at The Big House for a noon kick which will be streamed nationally on Peacock.

Why Michael Barrett is excited about Chris Partridge’s return to Michigan football

Such a huge addition to the coaching staff! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — For Michael Barrett, his Michigan football career will end working with a face that got it to begin as it was.

As a quarterback at Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes, Barrett’s primary recruiter to Ann Arbor was Chris Partridge, the Wolverines’ ace recruiter for a time, who handled the region. Barrett was thought to be coming to Michigan as an offensive weapon, but quickly transitioned to the defensive side of the ball, first as a defensive back, then as a linebacker.

Last year, he blossomed playing the linebacker role after having been a VIPER under Don Brown’s previous scheme, and with Partridge coming back to the staff to coach linebackers again, as he did in 2016-17, Barrett is finally playing directly under his primary recruiter — something that didn’t look feasible since Partridge left the program after the 2019 season to be the co-defensive coordinator at Ole Miss.

So, when Barrett heard that his recruiter was coming back to town, he was very enthusiastic about the opportunity.

“Oh, I was excited. He was the guy, he recruited me here. He got me here,” Barrett said. “(On) special teams, (he) got me on the field for special teams. When I first got here. He was a great coach when he was here. I got really close to him with his time here. I was excited when I heard he was coming back.”

The maize and blue world has been abuzz since the news of Partridge’s prodigal return, but what does he bring to the table that has everyone all excited? What is his coaching style behind closed doors that aids the team?

Barrett says that just his attitude and his fresh set of eyes should aid the linebacking corps.

“Different outlook, just enthusiasm,” Barrett said. “And he just has a way to get everybody fired up and everybody ready to go.”

Fans will get an opportunity to see the linebackers in action on April 1 in the annual spring game at The Big House.

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