Petition to fire Michigan AD Dave Brandon has thousands of signatures

A petition started by a University of Michigan graduate student calling for athletic director Dave Brandon to be fired had nearly 11,000 signatures as of 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The Michigan athletic department has come under heavy scrutiny since Saturday's football game when quarterback Shane Morris remained in the game and was re-inserted later despite suffering a concussion earlier in the Wolverines' loss to Minnesota. Embattled football coach Brady Hoke defended himself this week, saying he was unaware of the concussion.

Brandon released a statement at 12:50 a.m. Tuesday in which he said that Morris indeed had suffered a concussion and apologizing for mistakes made in communication about the issue.

The petition, which claims that the football program has left a "black eye" on the university, was created through the student government's UPetition website and requests that Michigan president Mark Schlissel remove Brandon immediately.

The petition's summary reads as follows: "Upon being named the Athletic Director, Mr. Brandon stated 'athletic programs play (a role) in helping to shape the culture and image of our university community.' Unfortunately, under Mr. Brandon's tenure, the football program, one of the most prominent programs at the University of Michigan and in the nation, has become a black eye for the University of Michigan. Instead of adding to the image and prestige of the university, the state of the athletic department has hurt the connection shared between alumni, fans, and the university."

The petition was started by graduate student Zeid El-Kilani.

"It didn't have anything to do with the football field. I think it comes at a time where we're facing national attention and increased scrutiny about the way our Athletic Department handles situations," El-Kilani told The Michigan Daily.

According to the student newspaper's website, a "Fire Dave Brandon" rally is being organized for 6 p.m. ET Tuesday.