Michigan’s largest donor, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, spoke last week with the university’s president about the fate of athletic director Dave Brandon, Ross said Monday.

Ross was one of Brandon’s most ardent supporters in the days after Brandon came under fire for an incident involving quarterback Shane Morris, who was allowed to play in the Sept. 27 Minnesota loss after suffering what the school later called a probable, mild concussion.

Last month, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Ross said that Brandon is “as qualified to be an athletic director as anyone could be” and should remain at the university.

On Monday, Ross said that he still thinks Brandon can do the job. But he also has promised school president Mark Schlissel that he won’t interfere or oppose a decision to fire Brandon. “I don’t think alumni should control universities,” Ross said. “We have a great president and he is running the university and not me.” Ross said Schlissel has “been talking to a lot of people” about Brandon and “has not come to a hasty conclusion.” If he has made a decision, Ross said, “he has not told anyone.” Ross said that Brandon shouldn’t shoulder the blame for the woes of the football program, which is 3-5 this season after a 35-11 loss at rival Michigan State on Saturday. “There’s a lot more to the job than winning football games,” Ross said. “That’s the coach’s responsibility.” Schlissel said this month that he was “deeply disappointed” in the athletic department’s initial response to and handling of the Morris matter. He also said that “there are a number of additional issues” facing the athletic department as the school tries to “establish the right balance” between competitiveness, financial stability and tradition. Brandon has taken heavy criticism from students and the media over decisions ranging from price increases to marketing moves that fell flat, such as a fireworks proposal that the school’s board of regents shot down. Last week, he announced a nearly 40% reduction in student ticket prices next season, to $175 for the seven-game home schedule from $280.

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