Michigan basketball: How Jace Howard ended up playing center, guarding Kofi Cockburn
Michigan basketball sophomore Jace Howard is listed on the roster as a guard, so how did he end up guarding Illinois junior seven-foot center Kofi Cockburn Friday night?
Well, the Wolverines were shorthanded in the front court, without sophomore center Hunter Dickinson and senior forward Brandon Johns Jr., and needed someone to step up in a matchup against one of the most dominant players in the sport.
“It was kind of mutual,” Howard said when asked how his switch from the backcourt to the ‘five’ came about.
Later, though, Howard admitted the desire was coming more from his side rather than the coaches’ — not that they didn’t believe he was a worthy option.
RELATED
• Phil Martelli recaps effort at Illinois, handling of Hunter Dickinson
• Wolverine TV: Phil Martelli talks path to ending Michigan basketball’s ‘tough stretch’
His father, head coach Juwan Howard, and the Michigan staff knew he could hold his own. In fact, Howard switched to center for the 2019 FHSSA Class 5A State Championship when star teammate Vernon Carey Jr., a former Duke star who’s now in the NBA G League, went down with an ankle sprain. Howard led the Sharks with 17 points state title at a position he wasn’t accustomed to playing.
From volunteering to walk on due to dwindling scholarship numbers when he was a commit to having the ideal attitude as a bench player on a championship team in 2020-21, Howard has earned the trust of the staff in that he will embrace whatever role he’s in.
Now, the coach’s son didn’t lead Michigan to victory at Illinois — the Wolverines fought hard and made it a one-point game with 6:36 to go before falling 68-53 — but he was a big part of the team’s effort in making it a game. Howard, who finished with a plus-10 and stood as the only Wolverine to notch a positive plus-minus rating, blocked one of Cockburn’s shots and played stellar defense, with analytics site Synergy saying the Illini shot 0-for-3 when he was guarding the shooter. He dove for a crucial loose ball in the second half and came up with two offensive rebounds for the game.
Top 10
- 1Live
Alabama vs. Tennessee
Live updates, score, highlights from Knoxville, TN
- 2
Comeback Cook
Mizzou QB leaves hospital, leads GW drive
- 3Trending
ASU opens tryouts
Sun Devils seeking a new kicker
- 4
Stoops in disbelief
OU legend weighs in on disastrous start
- 5
Isaiah Bond
Texas WR set to play vs. Georgia
“[The Michigan coaches] that I was willing to do that, and especially with the situation we were in … at the time, we didn’t even know if [fifth-year senior forward] Jaron [Faulds] could play. It was just me and [freshman forward] Moussa [Diabate] at that point, so it wasn’t even like I had a choice.
“They knew that I was ready for the opportunity. I wanted it because how many times in your career can you guard a preseason All-American or potential national player of the year? So it was something that I was excited for, just to help us get a win.”
Howard gained muscle mass in the offseason and worked on being able to play multiple positions, something Juwan Howard preaches (“positionless basketball”). He said the work he put in showed on the big stage Friday night.
With a 7-7 record and needing wins badly, Michigan is desperately searching for role players to surround Dickinson and provide consistent production. Howard has a ways to go, and he’d be the first to say it, but he may be carving himself a role, especially with the way he competes.
“It’s a long season, and we’re in round four,” Howard said. “We just finished round four, and we have 16 more [Big Ten games] to go, so that’s the mentality we have and we’re looking forward to it, even though it hasn’t been the ideal season that we wanted right now.
“I know we’re excited for the opportunity that we have ahead.”
That opportunity might include a heavier dose of Jace Howard.
