Michigan AD hasn't thought about firing Juwan Howard coach: 'I want to support (him)'
After helping introduce new head football coach Sherrone Moore to the media last month, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said he was exercising patience with the men's basketball team, which at the time had lost seven of its last eight games.
Manuel spoke again Wednesday on a video conference call, and things have not gotten better at Crisler Center. Juwan Howard's program has gone 1-5 since over that span, trailed by 30 points or more in each of its past two outings and the team's 8-17 record is tied with the 2007-08 team for the worst through 25 games in 43 seasons.
Still, Manuel doubled down on his personal policy of not making any in-season decisions — a decision made public in the middle of the season would be shocking, however it should be noted Ohio State's Chris Holtmann was fired on Wednesday — and implied he has not decided to lean one way or the other as the season comes to a close.
Not yet, anyway.
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"It would be fair to say I have not really thought about any changes in our men’s basketball program at this time," Manuel said. "I mean, it’s one of those things that you know, I guess I can’t say it any clearer. I want to support Juwan to be successful and have not given any moment of thought about anything about changes at this time.
"My support is of him, of our student athletes and of our staff."
Howard, 51, is in his fifth year at the helm and the trajectory of the program has tilted downward. Howard's first team in 2020 was destined to make the NCAA tournament before the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the postseason.
The next year, largely with John Beilein's players, Howard led U-M to an Elite Elite and was named the AP Coach of the Year. In 2021-22, the Wolverines lived on the bubble, but advanced to the Sweet 16 for a fifth straight tournament.
But last season, U-M went 18-16 and missed the Big Dance for just the second time in 15 years. However even that would be favorable compared to the current tumultuous campaign.
Michigan has a losing record overall (45-48) and in the Big Ten (24-29) in its past three seasons.
"Juwan and I have talked, yes," Manuel said when asked about the state of the program. "We’ll continue to have those conversations as the season goes through and I’ll continue to support him in this effort to turn things around and win like he expects to win.
"There’s no lack of effort from our student athletes or coaches, it’s a lack off execution at times and we have to be better, he knows that, they know that. Our expectations are high, but I will continue to have the conversations with him and will continue to support him and our program and continue to be there for him."
Michigan opened the season 3-0, but has remarkably gone just 5-17 since. U-M has lost 12 of its past 14 games and while the losses early in the season were often tightly contested, each of the past seven defeats have come by double figures.
The team's leading scorer, point guard Dug McDaniel, has been suspended for road games since the start of the second semester (academic suspension) and U-M is 0-5 when playing without him.
It's a shorthanded roster that had two open scholarships to start the season — Howard jokingly said "you're welcome" to the Illini fan base following U-M's 97-68 loss in Champaign on Tuesday, an ode to Terrance Shannon who dropped 31 points on the Wolverines. For the first time, Howard publicly admitted Shannon had committed to his program in the 2022 offseason, though his transfer from Texas Tech fell through because of college credits.
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Howard went through a serious offseason heart surgery and was sidelined for three full months before he returned as acting head coach in mid-December.
"To be here coaching, that’s a blessing,” Howard told reporters in Champaign, Illinois, on Tuesday. “A guy who almost lost his life. Do I enjoy coaching? You’re damn right I do. I enjoy being with these young men and learning from them and growing with them. I enjoy working with my staff and challenging each other and helping each other grow.
"To have an opportunity to coach at the collegiate level at my alma mater? Man, this is a blessing. A lot of people would love to have this job. But I don’t look at it as a job.”
If ever there were a game to get up off the mat for, it's on Saturday, when Michigan hosts Michigan State (15-9, 7-6 Big Ten) as the Spartans appear to have a 26th consecutive trip to the tournament well in hand.
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That's the type of consistency desired in Ann Arbor. In these dark days, Manuel said it's his job to see past that and then make the best decision, whatever it may be.
"I mean, it’s difficult," Manuel said. "None of these student athletes, coaches or staff — they’re working to win. When it doesn’t happen, there’s no bigger disappointment than they have in the results or lack of results on the successes of winning.
"But they will continue to get my support and will continue to have conversations and work through it."
Contact Tony Garcia: apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him at @realtonygarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan AD Warde Manuel sticking by Juwan Howard 'at this time'
