After a strong start to the season, Michigan looked poised to prove all the doubters wrong. However, things took a sharp turn as the Wolverines lost five out of their last seven games, including a loss to McNeese State. As a result, many are asking if this will be Juwan Howard’s last season at Michigan.
Will This Be Juwan Howard’s Last Season at Michigan?
On-Court Results
Before the season, there were rumblings that Juwan Howard may be on the hot seat. The Wolverines lost their two best players from the season before, Hunter Dickinson and Jett Howard, and they struck out on transfer target Caleb Love. The overall talent on the team has been low for a Howard team, which has led to a disappointing season thus far.
To start the year, Michigan beat St. John’s, instantly creating a buzz around the team. That was on November 13th, and the Wolverines have only won three games since. They have had embarrassing losses to McNeese State, Long Beach State, and Minnesota. This run is the worst of Howard’s tenure, and things will become more difficult as Michigan continues Big Ten play.
This compounds with last year’s results. The Wolverines missed the NCAA tournament last season despite having two NBA players in Howard and Kobe Bufkin, as well as Dickinson, who was a former All-American.
Off-Court Antics
But on-court results are not the only thing that has put Howard’s future in jeopardy. In early December, it was reported that Howard and one of his strength coaches, Jon Sanderson, got into an altercation. While punches were not thrown, the two had to be separated. Sanderson filed an HR complaint, and an investigation is underway.
This is not the first time that Howard has gotten into an altercation with a coach. In 2022, Howard was suspended after throwing a punch at Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft. The altercation occurred during the handshake line after Howard refused to shake hands with Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard. This was because Gard called a timeout late in the game while having a large lead. Howard also had an altercation with former Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon. According to reports, Howard yelled a profane threat toward Turgeon during a timeout. A scuffle ensued, and Howard was removed.
Juwan Howard was ejected during the last timeout.
Here's a look at what transpired: pic.twitter.com/rd5T99zAtC
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 12, 2021
The Last Word on Juwan Howard
Overall, there are many factors that could lead to Howard’s possible firing. His off-the-court antics have been numerous, and it is difficult to keep turning a blind eye. Meanwhile, his on-court results have been becoming worse each year, with this season expected to be his worst. If the Wolverines cannot turn things around, I would not be surprised if this season in Ann Arbor is Howard’s last.
