REVEALED: Michigan Wolverines ‘discovered booster personally funded sign-stealing scheme’ before deciding to accept Big 10’s decision to ban coach Jim Harbaugh three games

The University of Michigan this week obtained evidence showing that a football team booster personally financed the program’s impermissible sign-stealing operation led by former staffer Connor Stalions, sources said. ESPN.

The alleged booster has not been publicly named.

The ESPN report follows the school’s decision to accept the Big 10’s punishment for the alleged scheme. Michigan announced Thursday that football coach Jim Harbaugh will serve the remainder of a three-game suspension from the Big 10 in exchange for the conference ending its investigation into a scheme to steal opponents’ game signals.

On Friday, the Wolverines announced the firing of linebackers coach Chris Partridge, who was found tampering with the ongoing investigation, according to multiple reports.

Sports director Warde Manuel did not say why Partridge had been fired, citing employee privacy laws. Partridge is said to have tried to cover up evidence after the plan became public. Yahoo Sports reports this, citing sources it did not identify. Partridge did not return a text message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

“From the beginning, our focus has been on seeking due process and allowing the NCAA to conduct a fair and informed investigation,” Manuel said, noting that the school continued to cooperate with the investigation. “In keeping with our commitment to integrity, we will continue to take appropriate action, including disciplinary action, based on the information we obtain.”

The settlement between the parties was an unexpected twist in a month-long saga involving one of college football’s most recognizable programs, one of its most successful coaches, and allegations that a low-level Michigan staffer bought tickets to the future opponents’ games of the Wolverines and had them send people to those games to digitally record teams’ signals into their play.

“Coach Harbaugh, with the support of the university, decided to accept this sanction to return the focus to our student-athletes and their performance on the field,” Michigan said in a statement. “The conference has confirmed that it is not aware of any information indicating Coach Harbaugh’s involvement in the allegations. The university continues to fully cooperate with the NCAA’s investigation.”

Harbaugh was suspended by the Big 10 last Friday, three weeks after an NCAA investigation into the allegations emerged. Michigan asked a court hours later for an injunction and a temporary restraining order, but Harbaugh did not coach the team against Penn State on Saturday.

Newly fired Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge (left) allegedly destroyed evidence, while Connor Stallions (right) was allegedly caught in an impermissible sign-stealing scheme

The two sides were expected in court Friday in Ann Arbor, but instead Michigan and Harbaugh dropped the complaint and Harbaugh will miss games at Maryland on Saturday and at home against No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 25.

He can still coach the team this week. The penalty only applies to game days.

“The University of Michigan is a valued member of the Big 10 Conference and the conference will continue to work with the university and the NCAA throughout this process,” the Big 10 said in a statement.

No. 2 Michigan is among the favorites to win a national title and is looking for its third straight Big 10 championship and College Football Playoff appearance.

A Michigan cheerleader waves a large flag with the Michigan logo on it during a 2022 game

The NCAA investigation came to light four weeks ago amid allegations that Michigan used a robust personal scouting and sign-stealing operation conducted by a recruiting analyst, Connor Stalions, who has since resigned after being dismissed by the school suspended. The Big 10 also said at the time that it was investigating the allegations.

The NCAA has no rules against sign stealing, but it does prohibit schools from sending scouts to prospective opponents’ games and using electronic equipment to record another team’s signals.

The NCAA process is slow, but the Big 10’s rules gave Commissioner Tony Petitti a chance to hand down discipline more quickly. It hit Harbaugh with a three-game suspension, which the school immediately challenged.

University leaders made the decision to settle the case because the Big 10 did not agree to reduce Harbaugh’s suspension to two games. The school also did not want to take the dispute to court and negotiated for the conference to close the investigation, according to a person familiar with the matter.