U-M’s Weiss on leave amid police investigation
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Pete Thamel
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Dan Murphy
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Dan Murphy
ESPN Staff Writer
- Covers the Big Ten
- Joined ESPN.com in 2014
- Graduate of the University of Notre Dame
Michigan co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss has been placed on leave, according to an athletic department spokesman, as the school’s police department told ESPN it is investigating a “report of computer access crimes” that occurred in December at the team’s football facility.
The University of Michigan Police Department acknowledged in a statement to ESPN on Tuesday night that it is investigating a potential crime at Schembechler Hall. The police released the statement to ESPN when asked specifically about an investigation into Weiss, although the statement doesn’t acknowledge anyone by name.
The spokesman said Weiss has not been with the team or in the building recently. Sources told ESPN that Weiss has not been on the road recruiting for the Wolverines.
A police spokesperson said the department couldn’t share any additional information because the investigation is ongoing.
In a statement to ESPN, Weiss said: “I am aware of the ongoing investigation by the University of Michigan Police Department and fully cooperating with investigators. I look forward to the matter being resolved. Out of respect for the integrity of the investigation, I will not have any further comment.”
Last week, a neighbor of Weiss in Ann Arbor told ESPN that several unmarked cars showed up outside Weiss’ home in what appeared to be some type of police presence. (The neighbor declined to be named.) The search of Weiss’ home is believed to be tied to the university police investigation, according to sources.
“The University of Michigan Police Department is investigating a report of computer access crimes that occurred at Schembechler Hall during December 21-23, 2022,” University of Michigan Deputy Chief of Police Crystal James said in the statement. “Since this is an ongoing investigation there is no additional information to share.”
Weiss, 39, is a 2005 Vanderbilt graduate with a degree in economics, human and organizational development. He also has a graduate degree in liberal arts from Stanford.
Weiss just completed his second season as an assistant coach at Michigan, both of which ended with the Wolverines in the College Football Playoff. He arrived in 2021 as the quarterbacks coach and helped the Wolverines improve to 12-2 from 2-4 the prior year.
Weiss’ contract includes an $850,000 base salary for the 2022 season, when he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator, and it is projected to total nearly $1.25 million because of bonuses. That’s about double the $600,000 he made his during first season there in 2021.
The additional $400,000 in bonuses for 2022 came because Michigan finished in the top two in the Big Ten in scoring ($100,000) and in the top 10 in the FBS in scoring ($100,000) and also had 12 wins in the regular season ($200,000). His contract has two additional years remaining, both at the same $850,000 base salary, and runs through Jan. 10, 2025. The contract’s “for cause” firing provisions include “conviction of the coach of any criminal offense involving fraud; or conviction of any felony; or commission of any act which results in material injury to the reputation of the university.” It also has a conduct clause for morality, which is typical in coaching contracts.
Weiss’ promotion to co-offensive coordinator for the 2022 season included sharing the playcalling role. He remained the quarterbacks coach and oversaw the development of J.J. McCarthy into one of the season’s breakout stars.
In 2020, before Weiss’ arrival, Michigan finished No. 78 in total offense during the coronavirus-shortened season. In 2019, it was No. 68. Michigan finished in the top 25 in each of the past two seasons, showcasing a balanced offense with the NFL tenets of a powerful run game setting up the play-action pass.
From 2009 through 2020, Weiss held multiple roles with the Baltimore Ravens — defensive assistant (2009-13), linebackers coach (2014), cornerbacks coach (2015), assistant quarterbacks coach (2016-17), assistant wide receivers/football strategy coordinator (2018) and running backs coach (2019-20).
His four years at Stanford as a graduate assistant from 2005 to 2008 included two years under Walt Harris and two years under Jim Harbaugh. Weiss left Stanford in 2009 to be the head coach’s assistant with the Ravens for John Harbaugh, who arrived there in 2008.
Weiss is a Connecticut native who began his coaching career at Tennessee’s Smyrna High School, outside Nashville.
Knight’s Choice has won the 2024 Melbourne Cup, defeating Warp Speed and Okita Soushi in a thrilling finish at Flemington on Tuesday afternoon.
The massive outsider saluted for Irish-born jockey Robbie Dolan, who claimed victory in what was his first ever ride in the “race that stops a nation”.
In what was a gripping 164th staging of Australia’s most-watched thoroughbred race, Knight’s Choice proved too strong in a sprint to the finish, pulling over the top of Okita Soushi and holding off Warp Speed by the barest of margins.
Trained by John Symons and Sheila Laxon on the Sunshine Coast, Knight’s Choice was well down the betting across all markets. It was Laxon’s second Melbourne Cup triumph after she trained Ethereal to victory 23 years ago.
“This is the pinnacle of all pinnacles, this is the Melbourne Cup,” Symons said.
Zardozi rounded out the first four.
As the field approached the final few hundred metres it appeared as though Jamie Kah, aboard Okita Soushi, would become just the second woman to ride the winner in the Melbourne Cup. But Okita Soushi was swallowed up as the winning post neared, with Knight’s Choice beating Warp Speed to the line after a peach of a ride from Dolan.
“We’ll be singing tonight after a few beers,” Dolan, who was a contestant on the 2022 edition of “The Voice”, told Channel 9.
“It is amazing and a lot of people doubted this little horse. Doubt me now.”
Laxon was more than happy with the ride, with Dolan threading his way through the field from near last on the bend.
“He started the race, and he knew how to ride him. We didn’t give him instructions, he knew what to do,” she said.
“I love it being down for the Australians. The Australian horse has done it, and Robbie is Australian now as well, so I’m thrilled to win the Cup, and it is the people’s Cup, and that’s what it is all about.”
Knight’s Choice is just the sixth Australian-bred horse to win since 1993, and the first since Vow and Declare back in 2019.
The five-year-old gelding carried only 51kg to victory and was making its first start over the 3200m trip. It had most recently come off a fifth-placed finish in the Bendigo Cup, but had showed sparing little form this preparation otherwise.
“I watched every Melbourne Cup for the last 40 years. I thought my best chance was to get him to stay the trip and, hopefully, he can run home and do the quick sectionals he can on a good track and he proved everybody wrong,” Dolan said.
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