On Friday, the Michigan Wolverines athletic division introduced that Juwan Howard was relieved of his duties following an 8-24 season. It was one of many worst basketball seasons in this system’s historical past, and it was clear Howard didn’t foster a successful tradition.
Now, athletic director Warde Manuel will likely be tasked with discovering the following head coach in an offseason that must be filled with certified candidates. Michigan has the cash, prowess and tradition as an athletic division to at the very least draw curiosity from a few of the high obtainable coaches in the marketplace. On high of that, the Wolverines are within the Huge Ten, one of many two most finest conferences in faculty athletics. This must be an interesting job, and the Wolverines ought to discover a high identify on the teaching market to fill the function.
Listed here are our 5 high coaches to fill the function in no explicit order.
Nate Oats – Alabama
It is a “swing for the fences” choice. Oats has already constructed among the best basketball applications within the nation in Tuscaloosa. The 2021 SEC Coach of the Yr has coached three 20-win groups the final 4 seasons and received the convention twice in that span. The Crimson Tide have have made the match the final 4 years — which matches the overall that they had within the 15 years earlier than Oats’ hiring — and have been the No. 1 total seed for the primary time ever final season.
Oats has ties to Michigan, teaching Romulus Excessive College for 11 years and going 222-52 in that span. His first Division I gig was at Buffalo, the place he received the MAC Event 3 times and the common season twice in a four-year span.
He lately signed an extension to remain in Tuscaloosa by way of the 2026-27 season, so it might doubtless take a major pay increase and extra NIL allotment for Oats to budge. However together with his ties to Michigan, it’s 100% a name Manuel has to make to see if there may be any curiosity in returning to the Midwest.
Will Wade – McNeese State
An choice at a a lot smaller establishment with related pedigree can be Will Wade, who’s on a tear with McNeese State within the first 12 months of his tenure. The 30-3 Cowboys received the Southland Convention with ease on their technique to an NCAA Event berth. The 12 months prior, McNeese was 11-23 and hadn’t been to the tourney in 21 years.
There may be some controversy in Wade’s previous, as he was caught on tape making a financial supply to a recruit when he was with LSU. The FBI received concerned, Wade was suspended, and finally fired for the incident. However the Tigers had their finest run in fairly a while throughout his tenure.
LSU received 20 or extra video games in three of his 5 seasons Wade was with this system, and he was 55-33 in convention play. The Tigers received the SEC common season championship in 2019 and made three consecutive NCAA Tournaments (2019, 2021, 2022).
Wade is a confirmed winner and program-flipper. He’s doubtless going to be drawn again to a bigger establishment in 2024 and Michigan must be among the many listing of candidates for his service.
Sean Miller – Xavier
Talking of confirmed, but controversial coaches, Sean Miller needs to be a man Manuel appears at. Xavier and the Huge East are nice and all, however Michigan is on an entire totally different degree with the sources obtainable.
Miller left Arizona in scandal, equally to Wade, as a result of he allegedly supplied DeAndre Ayton cash to go there. Following an NCAA and FBI investigation in 2021, Arizona fired Miller after 12 seasons. These 12 years have been a few of the most profitable in program historical past. He received 5 convention common season championships and three Pac-12 Event championships, and was additionally a three-time Pac-12 Coach of the Yr.
Final season, Miller joined Xavier for the second time in his profession and led the Musketeers to the Candy 16 after a 27-10 season. Following a down 12 months in 2023-24, I wouldn’t be stunned if he heads again to a bigger program this offseason.
Dusty Could – FAU
Florida Atlantic was the Cinderella story of the school basketball season in 2022-23, because the Owls went from a No. 8 seed to the Ultimate 4. In simply 5 seasons, Could has develop into the winningest coach in this system’s historical past, going 125-67 in that span.
Could has adopted the miraculous run from final season to a 24-7 report in FAU’s first season within the American Athletic Convention. The Owls completed in second within the common season, behind solely USF, and are within the midst of their convention match run. They’ll absolutely be within the match as soon as the dusts settles.
The success in such a short while has made Could a scorching candidate. If he decides to depart, there will likely be many wanting his providers, together with Ohio State.
Brian Dutcher – San Diego State
From one former Wolverine to a different? Brian Dutcher has been excellent as the top coach at San Diego State the final seven seasons. The Aztecs are coming off an look within the Nationwide Championship final season, and are at present projected as a five-seed by Joe Lunardi of ESPN.
Dutcher was an assistant in Ann Arbor for practically a decade with Steve Fisher after which adopted him to San Diego State, the place he remained the affiliate head coach. He’s credited with recruiting the Fab 5 to Michigan, in addition to NBA famous person Kawhi Leonard to San Diego State.
Since taking on at SDSU, and in his first head teaching gig, Dutcher is 173-54, a two-time MWC Coach of the Yr and a three-time common season and convention match champion.
If Manuel is on the lookout for somebody with ties to this system, a ton of expertise and a successful pedigree, a name to Dutcher would make quite a lot of sense.
HM: Josh Schertz – Indiana State
Schertz has Indiana State on a roll, successful the Missouri Valley Convention common season title. The Sycamores did lose to Drake within the convention match championship, however many anticipate them to make the match anyhow at 26-5.
He coached Division II Lincoln Memorial from 2008-21 earlier than making the transfer to Indiana State. He received the South Atlantic Convention common season title 9 instances in that span and made the match in all however 4 years. Additionally they received greater than 30 video games 5 instances within the Schertz period, resulting in him being the SAC Coach of the Yr seven instances.