It was certainly an active off-season for University of Michigan Athletics, particularly as it relates to the football program and the men’s basketball program.
Michigan Football
It started with the football program, as former U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh finally made the leap back to the NFL, accepting the head coaching position with the Los Angeles Chargers. Even though it was expected that Harbaugh would make his return to the league at some point, losing the legendary head coach on the heels of a National Championship run felt like a huge blow to the program – particularly with several key members of U-M staff following him to LA.
According to a recent report by CBS Sports, Harbaugh had expressed his desire to remain at Michigan following the National Championship season in 2023. However, the ongoing issue surrounding the NCAA and the investigation into Connor Stalions, along with what Harbaugh believed to be a lack of support from U-M athletic director Warde Manuel, ultimately led to Harbaugh’s departure.
After nine seasons in Ann Arbor, Harbaugh would leave with an overall record of 89-25, a 3-5 record against Ohio State, three consecutive Big Ten Championships (2021-23), and a National Championship (2023).
So, how do you replace a guy like Jim Harbaugh? The answer seemed obvious in Ann Arbor: Sherrone Moore. In fact, it was Jim Harbaugh himself who advocated for Moore to be his successor.
“The only person I would want to do the job,” Harbaugh wrote in a text message to The Associated Press. “I have 100% conviction that he will make us all very proud!!!
“I have no doubt he will successfully transition from OC to HC — he had that opportunity 4 times this year, especially PSU, Maryland and OSU. Proof is in the pudding.”
Moore, who was named the 21st head coach in Michigan football history on January 26, 2024, spent six years as a member of Harbaugh’s staff in Ann Arbor. He began his U-M coaching career as the tight ends coach in 2018, and continued to work his way up through the coaching ranks – eventually becoming the offensive coordinator in 2023. During that same year, Moore served as acting head coach while Harbaugh served multiple suspensions, putting together a 4-0 record that included wins over Bowling Green, at Maryland, at Penn State, and Ohio State.
Michigan Basketball
For the basketball program, the decision was made to move on from former U-M head coach Juwan Howard after five seasons. Howard got off to a solid start during his first two seasons, capturing the regular season Big Ten Championship in 2020-21 and earning AP Coach of the Year that same year. But things started to take a turn in the wrong direction for Howard and the program in the years that followed. Not only did the win totals decrease each year, but Howard’s involvement in a number of incidents – including a physical altercation with a Wisconsin assistant and another altercation with former U-M strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson – proved too much to overcome.
In Howard’s final season, the Wolverines finished with an overall record of 8-24, one of the worst seasons in program history. Not long after, Manuel announced that Howard would not be returning for a sixth season.
“After a comprehensive review of the program, I have decided that Juwan will not return as our men’s basketball coach,” Manuel said in a statement. “Juwan is among the greatest Wolverines to ever be associated with our basketball program.
“I know how much it meant, to not only Juwan, but to all of us for him to return here to lead this program. Despite his love of his alma mater and the positive experience that our student-athletes had under his leadership, it was clear to me that the program was not living up to our expectations and not trending in the right direction.”
It didn’t take long for Manuel to find a replacement for Howard, as the University of Michigan announced the hiring of Dusty May just 10 days later. May, who served as the head men’s basketball coach at Florida Atlantic since the 2018-19 season, brought with him a ton of experience and a proven track record of success at the colligate level.
“For almost two decades Dusty May’s proven track record as a winner, including Florida Atlantic’s magical run to a 2023 Final Four, speaks volumes about him and his coaching,” said Manuel. “We are so delighted to welcome Dusty, and his family, to the University of Michigan. He embodies the values of high integrity and outstanding character, coupled with an unparalleled understanding of the game of basketball.
“With his ties to the Midwest, Dusty has a deep understanding of our community, recruiting landscape and basketball tradition. I am thrilled to bring in a coach who has a demonstrated ability to develop talent and build successful programs. I believe Dusty will be an exceptional leader for our student-athletes and a tremendous asset to our basketball program and university.”
AD Warde Manuel shares his thoughts on the off-season and the hiring of both coaches:
