Michigan A.D. Warde Manuel on Harbaugh contract, Juwan Howard
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel wasn’t sure if he’d have Jim Harbaugh back last year when his coach flirted heavily with the NFL. He’s happy to have him back, however, and pleased with the contract negotiations that got him there.
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Harbaugh seemed set to accept the Minnesota Vikings job, if offered. Instead, he’s back with the Wolverines with a new deal. His first extension came after 2020. It was about half his previous salary with incentives but with no disrespect intended, Manuel insisted.
“I did not want him in that sense to be harmed, particularly if he achieved success,” Manuel said in a recent “from the chair” podcast. “And it wasn’t the top down. It wasn’t me saying, ‘This is what you’re going to get, and this is what you’re going to accept.’ We had a great conversation that led to that structure of that deal, and I’m proud to say it was that way.”
It was similar after this season, Manuel said. Harbaugh’s success led to another deal that proved to be much better, though it’s still not among the top contracts in the Big Ten East Division. His salary starts around $7 million with incentives that push it over $8 million, potentially much higher if he wins like he did last year.
Michigan, of course, beat Ohio State and crushed Iowa for the Big Ten championship. The Wolverines made the College Football Playoff, but fell to Georgia in a semifinal.
U-M is expected to contend for the Big Ten again this year with what Harbaugh calls “scary good” talent.
“I just believe those conversations have to occur. I believe I need to have those conversations with my coaches, with my direct reports. Not through an agent, and not negotiating with somebody else.” Manuel said. “It worked out because both of us knew we cared about each other. We cared about the department, and wanted to make sure we did things the right way and balance it out for everybody.
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“I commend Jim for a great conversation, and it worked out great. Look, I didn’t intend to do it that way — it wasn’t a motivational ploy or anything else. I give Jim 100 percent of the credit … his staff and his student-athletes, 100 percent of the credit [for their success].”
Michigan A.D. backs basketball coach Juwan Howard
Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard was suspended five games for an altercation at Wisconsin in which he slapped a Badgers assistant. Howard accepted his punishment with remorse, Manuel said, and the A.D. is happy to have him.
He gave him his full support during the podcast.
“He is a great person, a great man and a great leader,” Manuel said. “Nobody was more disappointed than he was, and he did a tremendous job in the time away. He did a tremendous job coming back in the way he talked about it with the media before his first game back.
“I told him how proud I was of him. I told him how much I appreciated the way he took the time in those two weeks, thought through and handled things. The way he talked to the media, the way he talked to his team. It meant a lot to me, because I think the world of him.”
Howard is currently in France, but still working on his putting his 2022-23 roster together. Freshmen Moussa Diabate and Caleb Houstan opted to stay in the NBA Draft, opening two spots.
