The College of Michigan has fired males’s basketball head coach Juwan Howard after a disappointing 8-24 season (3-17 in Huge Ten), the college introduced Friday.
This ends his five-year run in Ann Arbor. Michigan’s eight-win season was one in all its worst previously 60 years.
Not solely did the Wolverines end final within the Huge Ten for the primary time since 1966-67, however their file tied the second-worst single-season profitable proportion in class historical past (.250).
Michigan misplaced its remaining 9 video games of the season, together with Wednesday’s Huge Ten match matchup with Penn State.
BREAKING NEWS: U-M Director of Athletics Warde Manuel has introduced {that a} management change can be made in basketball with Juwan Howard not returning subsequent season.
Launch | https://t.co/N2QU7adNM3#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/yxDIAgkgfk
— Michigan Males’s Basketball (@umichbball) March 15, 2024
“After a complete evaluation of this system, I’ve determined that Juwan won’t return as our males’s basketball coach,” athletic director Warde Manuel stated in a press release.
“Juwan is among the many best Wolverines to ever be related to our basketball program. I understand how a lot it meant, to not solely Juwan, however to all of us for him to return right here to guide this program.
“Regardless of his love of his alma mater and the optimistic expertise that our student-athletes had underneath his management, it was clear to me that this system was not residing as much as our expectations and never trending in the best path. I’m grateful for Juwan’s dedication, ardour and dedication to U-M and for all that he, and his legacy, will proceed to imply to Michigan.”
Howard, 51, completed 87-72 (.547) general and 49-48 (.505) within the Huge Ten in his five-year tenure with Michigan. The Chicago native had two years and about $7 million remaining on his contract. Based on studies, he’ll obtain a $3 million buyout.
Howard was first employed in 2019 to exchange John Beilein, who had left for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Howard coached the Wolverines to a 19-12 file in his first 12 months. The varsity would have certified for the NCAA match had it not been canceled as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
Juwan Howard gained AP Coach of the 12 months, Huge Ten Coach of the 12 months in 2021 as Michigan coach
In his second 12 months in 2021, Howard gained AP Coach of the 12 months and Huge Ten Coach of the 12 months. He turned the second Michigan basketball coach to earn AP Nationwide Coach of the 12 months honors.
He turned the eighth coach within the Huge Ten to win the award because it was first introduced in 1967.
In 2021, Howard coached Michigan to its first NCAA match No. 1-seed since 1993. The Wolverines had gained their first Huge Ten regular-season title since 2014 as nicely.
🏆 @JuwanHoward wins AP Coach of the 12 months!@umichbball 〽️ pic.twitter.com/PRZVTPnu4o
— NCAA March Insanity (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 1, 2021
The Wolverines made a run to the Elite Eight earlier than falling to UCLA by two factors. Howard had Michigan again within the Candy 16 the next season, regardless of an underwhelming 19-15 general file.
Moreover, Howard underwent a scheduled coronary heart process in September to resect an aortic aneurysm and restore an aortic valve. His surgical procedure compelled him to overlook the beginning of Michigan’s season.
He returned to the bench in the course of the Wolverines’ journey to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis as an observer. This was earlier than he transitioned to an assistant coach function for 2 weeks.
Howard formally returned to the bench as head coach on Dec. 16 in opposition to Japanese Michigan. The Wolverines improved to 6-5 for the season after defeating the Eagles. Nonetheless, Michigan went on to win simply two extra video games.
Howard was accused by Michigan’s energy and conditioning coach of instilling a “tradition of worry”
Earlier than Juwan Howard returned as head coach, he was additionally concerned in an incident at apply with energy and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson.
A bombshell report on the subject material was revealed by Bleacher Report on Friday.
Sanderson accused Howard of instilling a “tradition of worry” throughout the males’s basketball program. Sanderson’s legal professional, Steven Stapleton, made the allegation on behalf of his shopper in an e-mail to Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel on Dec. 11, 2023.
“There’s a tradition of worry throughout the MBB (males’s basketball) program and concern for retaliation by Coach Howard that has prevented employees from coming ahead earlier, however now it’s time to deal with that abhorrent tradition,” Stapleton wrote.
Sanderson’s allegations embrace Howard threatening to “slap the s—t” out of his son, Jett Howard, who performed at Michigan final season, throughout a apply. One coach on the employees reportedly stated he witnessed Juwan “manhandle” Jett on the courtroom.
Stapleton’s letter cited “troubling points throughout the program” and Howard “created an insupportable atmosphere for each employees and student-athletes.”
