Memo To Warde

Memorandum

To: Warde Manuel, Michigan AD
From: Bob, Big House Blog

Topic: Important Week

Warde, as you know this is the most important week of your Michigan Athletic Director career.  You have made a few good decisions in hiring coaches of other sports, but you also have a number of questionable decisions in football and now basketball.   The contract with ND for the home and home was clearly 100% in favor of ND and you paid Arkansas millions not to play them.    I also thought I made it clear that playing Army wasn't a good idea this year and that you should consider looking at other options.   You did not.  

Let's not focus on those bad decision, lets put those in the past and focus on the current situation.  You knew Coach Beilein was interviewing with the Cavs and you still decided to go on the Africa trip with the football team.  Not a great look.   You also didn't have a buyout clause in Coach B's contract, allowing him to walk for free.   That right there is a fire-able offense. The basketball program in a few weeks has lost 3 starters to the NBA's second round,  it's head coach to one of the worst teams in the NBA, and its top rated recruit.   Things are not good right now.

It's been over a week since Coach B left and now your getting around to interviewing candidates.   You "reportedly" have interviewed both assistant coaches and Ed Cooley from Providence.   I know Ed is your buddy and friends with the Search Firm you hired, but that is just a lazy choice.   There was even a report from a Providence guy that you have already offered the job to Ed, which better not be true.   He is one of the worst offensive coaches in college basketball and not ready for the Michigan job.  He is a Tommy Amaker or a Brady Hoke type of hire.   He is 1-5 in the NCAA Tournament and his coaching background is at Fairfield and Providence.

Today is a big day.  You are going to interview a highly regarded Michigan Man Juwan Howard of the Miami Heat.  I know he doesn't have any head coaching experience but he has learned from Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley.   He is inline for an NBA head coaching job and supported by many of the former high profile Wolverines in basketball and football.   I see this as the only decision.    Maybe you even could keep Luke and Saddi on staff.

In closing Warde, its very important "to read the room" on making this decision.   Cooley is not going to be a popular hire and Juwan will be.   We know there is some risk in hiring Juwan, like him learning on the job and so on.  His ceiling or upside is greater then any of the other guys you have been talking to.   Cooley is at his ceiling and we know what type of coach he is, one that should stay at Providence.  This week is going to define your entire career at Michigan.   Don't forget why you have your job, because your a Michigan man, go hire another one.



from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2019/05/memo-to-warde.html