Quinn: Howard Likely Back Next Year

Submitted by MGoLow on January 18th, 2024 at 3:51 PM

Brendan Quinn, who is (or was) pretty plugged in with the bball program, opines here($) that Howard likely stays next year. Basically, he thinks Warde gives Juwan a Harbaugh-like chance to reset the program with big changes to the staff and roster. Thought this was interesting given the source and most of our general opinion that Juwan's time is running short. 

Basketball

Blue in Paradise

January 18th, 2024 at 7:26 PM ^

I actually agree that unless our guys show significant improvement in the 2nd half of the season, they probably should move on from Juwan.

HOWEVER, the same folks that are the loudest  voices calling for Juwan to be fired are the same people who wanted to run Beilein out of town on February 4, 2017 after that ugly OSU loss right before Michigan basketball went on a historic run.  They wanted Warde fired for not firing Beilein.

And as pointed out on this thread, people are conveniently forgetting that 90% of posters in the 2020 offseason wanted Jim fired and Warde fired for not firing Jim.

Sometimes not being rash is a good idea.  Again, moving on from Juwan May be the right call here but let’s let things play out the rest of the season first.

Joined: 08/14/2016

MGoPoints: 36794

kalamazoo

January 18th, 2024 at 8:30 PM ^

If Howard goes on that tear, I will be 10x more surprised than when Beilein did it.

#1, very difficult to accomplish. Team has shown flashes, sure, but Beilein had been known to develop players and known to adapt. He coached multiple teams prior and got them perhaps unexpectedly into the NCAA tournament. #2, Howard has said some things at times that to me seem immature. And getting into a fight...his mind not quite into the big picture.

Howard is learning a lot on the job and tough for me to be too tough on him. He must have neverending questions about his ability and some level of stress every day now. Had he started his college coaching career in the Mid American conference, figured out recruiting and development and won some big games, then would make more sense to make the jump to Michigan. Howard is a way solid person. Be nice to have the most solid coach though. Can it, will it become him?

Human beings have a major recency bias...so...hope he doesn't think about the past and moves forward with the same passion as the first day on the job.

Crossing fingers pretty dang hard for that Big Ten run!

Joined: 08/20/2010

MGoPoints: 2566

jsquigg

January 18th, 2024 at 10:02 PM ^

Please don’t compare Beilein building a program out of the Amaker disaster to Howard pissing everything he was handed away. This includes an unnecessary conflict with Sanderson. Fuck Warde Manuel. He blocks NIL improvement and may be partially responsible for Harbaugh wanting to move on. Now he wants to stick with a guy simply because of his status as a legendary alma mater in spite of the evidence that he’s a trainwreck as a coach.

Joined: 09/06/2009

MGoPoints: 9621

steviebrownfor…

January 18th, 2024 at 3:53 PM ^

Dumb.  Harbaugh was given a second chance because he had proven himself at Stanford & in the NFL.  Howard's teams have gotten steadily and progressively worse, and have neutered fan interest in the program.

I guess the easiest thing to do is nothing at all.

Joined: 02/01/2009

MGoPoints: 10080

Blinkin

January 18th, 2024 at 4:23 PM ^

Devil's advocate, but Harbaugh has also had a few years of issues. The issues were somewhat less bad (a seeming hard ceiling of 9 or 10 wins), but at the same time it felt that we'd never beat OSU, and football is perceived as the more important sport at Michigan. I'll also give some credence to the fact that the effects of the transfer portal on CBB has been much more chaotic than football; I don't think Juwan is the only coach struggling with it. 

All that said, he needs to replace most if not all of the assistants, fix his relationship with Sanderson, and actually make the tournament next year if Warde goes this route. 

Joined: 08/17/2022

MGoPoints: 28225

HateSparty

January 18th, 2024 at 4:53 PM ^

If Juwan was "struggling" with a 75% win rate, they would be a tourney team every year and no one is complaining.  The facts themselves do not bear the comparisons.  Just stop already.  Everyone.  There is zero likeness to the situations.  

Harbaugh is an established, successful head coach at EVERY stop and was very successful here compared to his recent predecessors.  Howard is not any of that and is very much worse than his predecessor. 

You will not find a comparator, except they both played within their programs. One is good at their job, excellent in fact, and one is very much not. 

Joined: 12/17/2014

MGoPoints: 27141

Blinkin

January 18th, 2024 at 5:16 PM ^

All I'm saying is I remember 2020 and the "soup" nonsense.  Let's not pretend like the general consensus around Harbaugh included words like "excellent" just 3 years ago.  You're not wrong that Harbaugh's accomplishments in coaching greatly surpass Juwan's, but I think there is also a lot of room for recency bias.

Joined: 08/17/2022

MGoPoints: 28225

colonel

January 18th, 2024 at 8:34 PM ^

The 2020 football season was an utter disaster...

But there was also a once-in-a-century pandemic going on, so a pass for Harbaugh was warranted, obviously. I am not proud to admit that I would have been happy to see him be shown the door in the winter of '21, and naturally I am delighted that I have been proven wrong.

I do not think Juwan's deserves another year, based on the on-court performance, but I figure that his status as a program legend complicates the situation. Michigan can't let this guy go without it being clear without a shadow of a doubt that he is not the guy. Even if there's a 0.1% chance that he'll turn things around, he'll get that chance, just because of who he is.

Joined: 09/18/2013

MGoPoints: 908

ca_prophet

January 18th, 2024 at 8:35 PM ^

Oh, come now.  This blog does have a search function, after all.

Why hasn't the Harbaugh era worked?

Would Michigan be satisfied with Brian Kelly's coaching record?

And from Brian:
-----

[Weinreb] I would worry most of all that if Harbaugh somehow fails at Michigan, it will be the most definitive proof yet that no one can succeed in Ann Arbor anymore.

That's obviously overstated until you're staring down a 2-6, 3-5 kind of season in year six and the Black Pit Of Negative Expectations has signed a long-term lease in your head.

---------------------------------------------------------

I can't imagine Jim Harbaugh makes this work any more.
-----

Yes, maybe you feel worse about Howard than you did about Harbaugh.  But between the two consecutive utter demolitions at OSU's hands and the desultory demolitions inflicted on Michigan in the COVID 2020 season, I can guarantee you that many, many people were deeply disappointed in Harbaugh.

 

Joined: 09/07/2010

MGoPoints: 7079

blueandmaizeballs

January 18th, 2024 at 9:07 PM ^

Blink I swear some people on here want Howard fired more then they did JB.  Same people who are praising JB are the same ones who were whining about him and saying he needs to be fired.  The same are doing it here with Juwan and some haven't liked him since he was coach. Granted I loved Juwan and the longer he has been here it is been getting harder especially the last 2 years but he also has been held back some by the school and others around Michigan.  NIL getting players through the academic portion of the process. 

 

 

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 3695

blueandmaizeballs

January 18th, 2024 at 9:22 PM ^

Dumbest comment I heard and it sounds like you have no idea about BBall Snarling.  (Nothing to do with TS incident) You know how many teams have to remake their rosters year in and year out.  Like 60% of all teams if not more.   Juwan can't help it if a 5 star he recruited goes pro or a guy feel scared about competition or one wants to transfer to make 2 million dollars.   People complain we don't get 5 stars them we do and then everyone says we need to recruit different because they leave early.  Just irritating when people make comments when they do t know about the whole college basketball game and what goes on in other programs not just ours.   

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 3695

blueandmaizeballs

January 18th, 2024 at 9:17 PM ^

At some point players need to execute or make the plays to win.   Not saying it is all on the players but it does go both ways.   If a coach has a great game plan but players don't execute or perform well that isn't on the coach.  Not saying this is all the time with BBall but it isn't 100% on Juwan if the players don't execute or make a shot.   I am disappointed in Juwan because of the Sandman incident and if JS leaves then I will be mad and think Juwan should go instead of Jon because to me JS is one of the most important pieces to the BBall team. 

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 3695

Naked Bootlegger

January 19th, 2024 at 11:46 AM ^

The last two years have been immensely frustrating.  I get it.   But I don't fully understand the "he does not develop players" argument.   Kobe Bufkin was a mid first round draft pick after his sophomore year - many so-called pundits around these parts declared him a bust after he struggled in year 1.   That is stellar player development. 

Other stuff?  Sure.  I'm as frustrated as everyone.   But throwing out blanket statements like "he does not develop players" is mostly feelingsball.

Joined: 01/28/2011

MGoPoints: 34714

snarling wolverine

January 18th, 2024 at 5:22 PM ^

If Juwan needs more NIL, why isn’t he making that pitch to boosters?  The guy does almost nothing to sell his program.  He makes his assistants do a lot of his own PR duties. 

As for transfers, call me crazy but maybe he shouldn’t target non-graduating upperclassmen - exactly the guys we can’t get admitted.   Somehow football has figured it out. 

Joined: 12/14/2011

MGoPoints: 98351

Maison Bleue

January 18th, 2024 at 4:09 PM ^

Sorry, not buying it. Beilein has nothing to do with UM hoops anymore and Quinn seems to be a golf guy now for the Athletic. He has always come across like he has an axe to grind regarding Michigan, even when Beilein was here. Again, he has a pro-MSU/Izzo slant IMO.

This article is written like an opinion piece as well:

But what they don’t cite is reality. And in reality, Howard is unlikely going anywhere, unless he decides to leave himself. 

and

What’s far more likely is Howard being granted the opportunity to reboot the program after this season. 

Doesn't sound like he quoting sources to me. Just vague predictions based on Manuel's previous "modus operandi". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Joined: 11/30/2012

MGoPoints: 23291