Michigan opened the 2023-24 season with low external expectations and managed to finish even worse.
That is not a sentence that Juwan Howard or the Wolverines wanted to read, but it nevertheless is reality. The preseason Big Ten media poll pegged Michigan to finish 12th in the 14-team league, but the Maize and Blue ultimately finished in last place.
Howard’s future immediately became the major storylines after Michigan ended its nightmarish 8-24 campaign. And after five seasons, he will not be returning to his alma mater.
The coaching change is simply one part of a busy offseason in Ann Arbor.
Although the Wolverines have three commitments in the 2024 class, their highest-ranked prospect is still unsigned.
The incoming head coach—whoever that may be—definitely has a rapid priority to tackle.
Khani Rooths is narrowly short of 5-star status, ranking as the 31st overall prospect in the cycle. He gave a verbal pledge in November but didn’t sign immediately. As of February, per Andrew Kahn of MLive, Rooths plans to sign during the mid-April window.
Also, the Maize and Blue are poised to add 4-star guard Christian Anderson and 3-star in-state guard Durral Brooks.
Michigan will undoubtedly need to utilize the portal, too. Depending on how many scholarships open beyond the known spots, the Wolverines may be extremely active in pursuing transfers.
