Juwan Howard addresses Michigan's investigation into alleged altercation

On Saturday, Juwan Howard made his triumphant return as Michigan’s head coach in a 83-66 win over Eastern Michigan. Howard underwent a heart procedure in September, when doctors successfully resected an aortic aneurysm and repaired Howard’s aortic valve.

Assistant coach Phil Martelli served as the program’s interim head coach during Howard’s absence. Howard’s return was thrown further into flux after he got into an alleged altercation with strength coach Jon Sanderson last week.

On Friday, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel released a statement addressing the situation.

“Juwan Howard will return to the Michigan bench Saturday (Dec. 16) against Eastern Michigan in his total capacity as head coach,” Manuel wrote. “Coach Howard, his doctors and our medical experts remain aligned in taking this next step as he recovers from a September heart procedure.

“The return of our usual coaching structure comes after a review of an incident involving several individuals during a team practice last week. Based on a thorough internal review, nothing was found to warrant disciplinary action for anyone involved. As such, we will move forward with a focus on our team and our season.”

When reporters asked Howard about the altercation during the postgame press conference on Saturday, Howard pointed them back to Manuel’s statement.

“I would basically piggyback on what Warde said,” Howard said. “Refer to his statement. I think it was clear. It was precise. And there’s still a review happening at this moment.”

More on the altercation between Juwan Howard & Jon Sanderson

Although the story isn’t crystal clear, college basketball insider Jeff Goodman revealed what sources told him regarding the alleged clash between Howard and Sanderson earlier this week.

“Right before practice started Jace Howard was in the training room and he’s been out all year,” Goodman said on The Field of 68.. “He’s frustrated and he starts to really get into the trainer. He’s frustrated and he starts almost berating the trainer.

“From what I was told it didn’t matter who it was, whether it’s a trainer, whoever was there at that time, he just let his frustrations roll out and they rolled out on on the trainer and the strength coach Jon Sanderson, who’s been there for a long time dating back to the John Beilein era, who is six-eight, 270 played … got pissed off because he saw how Jace was treating the trainer. And he basically said something to the effect of, that’s why the ‘effing’ culture is the way it is or something to that effect.” 

Once Sanderson allegedly started yelling, Juwan Howard stepped in.

“Well, Juwan Howard heard this,” Goodman said. “They were walking onto the court right before practice when this happened. Juwan Howard heard this and he obviously got pissed off, and there were no punches thrown … I was told they were toe to toe, chest to chest, right up in each other and had to be restrained.”