One man did it in his first season in Ann Arbor — earlier than happening to win a pair of regular-season and convention event championships, together with showing in two nationwide title video games. The newest man is doing it in what is perhaps his final season in Ann Arbor — with one regular-season championship and no Final Fours on his resume. The solely factor John Beilein and Juwan Howard have in widespread is that they’ve each had 20-loss seasons at Michigan.
When the Wolverines fell to Purdue, 84-76, at dwelling on Sunday, it dropped them to a horrific 8-20 in a really rocky season that’s been stricken by Howard’s well being, a ton of accidents, and having their finest participant suspended for street video games.
“It’s definitely like a discussed factor,” Michigan’s Terrance Williams II mentioned of the dearth of fan help the Wolverines obtained at dwelling, as Purdue followers took over the sector. “You know, just playing a game, we’re going to play on the court, but it felt like Mackey Arena, straight up.
“We go on road trips, you know, their fanbase no matter what the record is, they will be all their fans and a little bit of Michigan fans. Today felt more like 75 percent Purdue fans, 25 percent Michigan.”
With at least 4 video games left on the schedule, issues might get even worse for Michigan. Howard might set this system’s single-season report for losses, which might be worse than Beilein’s marketing campaign throughout his first season in 2007-2008 when he went 10-22. Howard now joins Beilein, William Perigo (1959-1960), and Bill Frieder (1981-1982) as the one coaches in this system’s historical past to lose at least 20 video games in a season.
It wasn’t presupposed to be this fashion.
“I felt like I was letting down my teammates because I didn’t do what I came here to do, and that was to bring a championship to this university, a university I care so much about,” the Fab Five member tearfully mentioned throughout his introductory press convention in 2019. “Now let’s fast forward 25 years later. I’m back.”
Besides the 2020-2021 season that included an Elite Eight look, issues haven’t gone like many assumed. Much of the discuss round Howard has been across the recruits that he hasn’t signed, the gamers who’ve left this system — because of the switch portal or getting into the NBA draft too quickly — or the on- and off-court drama Howard has been concerned in, which has included a number of skirmishes with different coaches, and alleged ones with members of his employees.
Last month, the unthinkable occurred when the Fab Five reunited at Michigan when Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Ray Jackson, and Jimmy King all got here collectively to take a seat courtside and help Howard at the Ohio State recreation. It was the primary time the enduring group had been collectively in that place since 1993.
“Family always support family,” Howard advised his crew standing with the Fab Five within the locker room. “You see what the real ones are. The real ones come out when things are a little bit rough. The real ones don’t run away. And the real Michigan fans that support this team right here, you’re looking at them.”
Earlier this month, Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel publicly supported Howard.
“Juwan and I have talked, yes,” he mentioned. “We’ll continue to have those conversations as the season goes through. I continue to support him and the effort to turn this around. There is no lack of effort from our student-athletes and our coaches. It’s a lack of execution at times. We have to be better. He knows that. I’ll continue to have conversations with him and will continue to support him and our program.
“It would be fair to say I have not really thought about any changes in our men’s basketball program at this time.”
At the time, Michigan was 8-17 and had misplaced 12 of their final 14. The Wolverines have back-to-back street video games in opposition to Rutgers and Ohio State earlier than they face Nebraska at dwelling within the finale. If the season ended right this moment, they’d be the 14th seed within the Big Ten Tournament.
A number of weeks in the past we watched as Warde Manuel hit a house run by selling offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore to move coach of the soccer program after Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL, in a transfer that was a no brainer. In the approaching weeks, Manuel may should make a extra official choice about Juwan Howard. And if Howard breaks Beilein’s report for most losses, it is perhaps a straightforward choice for Manuel to make.
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