michael hage

The Howard Interview. Juwan Howard sat down with Brendan Quinn for what Quinn says is his first one on one interview in two years. That, in and of itself, is part of the issue. This section is kind of like… well… I mean…?

In the end, Howard says he wishes he’d opened up more. He wishes people knew junior forward Will Tschetter keeps a garden in his backyard, where he and Jenine grow jalapeño, kale, bell peppers, lettuce. He wishes he’d been more open about his feelings on going from one-game shy of the Elite Eight in March 2021 to outcast in March 2022. He wishes he hadn’t been so reticent about his heart surgery. He wishes people knew that, during the interview, former captain Eli Brooks called to check in on him.

He says he wishes he let people get to know him.

One of the issues with hiring a first-time head coach is that sometimes they don't know the shape of the job. They've seen it, they've been around it, but being it for the first time is something different. Especially when you come from a Miami Heat organization where all that stuff is minimized because you have a long-term, secure coach in a well-run organization. Beating the bushes is not a thing that Howard ever had to do.

The other main takeaway from the interview is that Howard should not have coached this year:

Doctors set his recovery time at 6-12 weeks. He spent 15 days in the hospital post-op.

Howard told assistant coach Howard Eisley, a lifelong friend, that he would return in two weeks. He saw doctors’ recommendations as races to win, not timelines to live by. And he suffered for it.

“I thought I was a Marvel hero, but this was real life stuff I was dealing with, and I was extremely naive,” he says. “I was impatient with the process.”

Howard wasn’t fully recovered when he returned to the Michigan bench for a November trip to the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, he says. Multiple complications emerged throughout the season. He rarely slept through the night. Doctors advised him to step away and undergo another surgery to address an atrial flutter that sapped his energy and caused severe discomfort. He was scheduled to undergo a 7 a.m. procedure following a Jan. 23 road game at Purdue, but heavy snow grounded Michigan’s return flight. Howard’s surgery was canceled and he declined to reschedule it in-season, against doctors’ recommendations and to Jenine’s displeasure.

The surgery is scheduled for April 19.

There is a timeline where Howard does not get Terrence Shannon and Caleb Love spiked into the earth by admissions (and Shannon, uh, settles down with a nice poli sci major in Ann Arbor); a timeline where he does not have health issues. He likely still has his job, and Michigan might have been really good through year five. That is not this timeline, but it is so close that it hurts. Howard's issues were only half of his own making.

[After THE JUMP: basketball roster stuff, hockey items]

Michigan Hockey has been on a bit of a recruiting rampage recently, ripping off a series of commitments for its next few recruiting classes. Today we will attempt to break down a few of them, gazing into our 'Crystal Puck' to see what they can bring to the Wolverines in the future. As we aren't privy to the coach’s plan on when to bring players into Michigan, some off the players listed below may come in next year, while others may end up spending another season or two of development in the USHL. Two final notes: a few of the players on this list are from the USNTDP, others from regular USHL clubs. Additionally, we should also point out that there are no goalies listed here, as Stephen Peck, Michigan's lone goalie commit, is playing in the NAHL and may be a couple years away. The future of the crease will be something for Michigan to figure out in the coming months. 

Christian Humphreys

US NTDP U-18

5'10"/160

Center / Shoots Right

Where he's from: Christian Humphreys hails from Pittsburgh, PA and is currently playing for the US NTDP U18 team.

What he brings: Humphreys' decommitment from Michigan State and commitment to Michigan is probably the second biggest recruiting news story in college hockey this year next to Cole Eiserman flipping from Minnesota to Boston University. In Humphreys, Michigan is getting a centerman with great offensive skills, who is deceptive with the puck and has an explosive and deadly accurate shot. Currently, Humphreys is projected to be a late first round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, with the only critiques about him being his size, which is comparable to Frank Nazar III, and his defensive play without the puck, which is something that is teachable and not an uncommon issue for young, skilled forwards. Look for him to make an immediate impact when he arrives at Michigan as a player who drives an offensive line.

'Crystal Puck' Projection: With either Frank Nazar III or Gavin Brindley (or both) possibly leaving Michigan after this season, I'd expect Humphreys to be slotted in as the 2nd line center for next season behind TJ Hughes, with the possibility of surpassing Hughes as the season moves along. 

Michael Hage

Chicago Steel

6'1"/190

Center - Right Wing / Shoots Right

Where he's from: Michael Hage hails from Mississauga, Ontario and is currently playing for the Chicago Steel in the USHL

What he brings: The talent pipeline from the Chicago Steel to the University of Michigan just keeps flowing with Michael Hage next in a long line of players including Owen Power, Brendan Brisson, Mackie Samoskevich, and Nick Moldenhauer. Hage is projected at this time to be an early 2nd round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and looks to bring size, speed, and skill along with a high hockey IQ. Hage likes to shoot the puck when given the opportunity, which is reflected so far this season through him averaging over 3 shots on goal per game for the Steel. The biggest deficiency in his game is his play without the puck, which has periodically landed him in the doghouse with the Steel coaching staff. Hage has previously played center but has been shifted to right wing for the Steel so far this season, and if that trend continues, he will give the Wolverines coaching staff a lot of flexibility when it comes to slotting him in the lineup.

'Crystal Puck' Projection: Look for Hage to be slotted into the 3rd line right wing position for next year, perhaps below Moldenhauer and a Dylan Duke or Josh Eernisse. His offensive skills far outweigh his defensive shortcomings and playing the wing will help the Maize and Blue establish a game down low in the offensive zone, which helps take pressure off the defense.

[AFTER THE JUMP: More prospects]

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How it works: You answer 12 questions as quickly as you can (it's timed) before Thursday, July 13 at 6PM EDT to secure your spot on the leaderboard. Your performance will be ranked based on the number of correct answers you submit and how quickly you complete the questions. You only get one shot, so make it count and check out the Challenge Rules for more information. Or listen to the man himself:

At the end of the submission period, the top performers will unlock front of the line access to purchase exclusive University of Michigan football rewards curated by our friends at Valiant. Once the competition ends, look out for an email from Autograph notifying you if you are eligible with details to purchase.

We are all going to die soon. I bring terrifying news:

San Diego Lincoln 2025 quarterback Akili Smith Jr., was one of the standouts at Future 50 last month at IMG Academy in Florida. The Top247 prospect said he has a loose top three, not an official group, but the one he’s working with right now and it includes Florida, Michigan and Oregon.

The existence of a recruitable Akili Smith Jr. has caused me to drink from the wrong grail. If I find out there's a JJ McCarthy Jr in the 2026 class I'm going to evaporate.

I'm not joining "Threads." Elon Musk is currently running Twitter into the ground but "Facebook but narrower" is not something I will tolerate, folks. I do not want an algorithm populating my social media feed. I want it to be the maniacs I follow in chronological order. If Bluesky attains critical mass I'll migrate, but the sheer number of people I've blocked on Twitter is a critical advantage for that platform. Someone step in and buy it from Musk, please.

[After THE JUMP: Fred Jackson!]