Newsstand: Michigan hockey coach Mel Pearson situation likely to be resolved Friday
Tweets Of The Day
Michigan Wolverines hockey coach Mel Pearson’s job is in jeopardy. His contract expired months ago as the WilmerHale law firm conducted an investigation into the program for lying on COVID contact tracing forms, the handling of former staffer Rick Bancroft mistreating employees and more.
The WilmerHale report has been on the desk of athletic director Warde Manuel since May, but the process has moved slowly. Pearson has remained the coach despite not having an extension, but some feel the results of the report were damning. Now, it appears things will come to a head Friday, one way or the other, with the likely scenario being Pearson’s dismissal.
John U. Bacon provided the latest with a Thursday night update.
Michigan basketball sent out a new 2024 offer Thursday. Dylan Harper out of Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep, the No. 19 player nationally per On3. He’s the younger brother of former Rutgers basketball standout Ron Harper Jr., and the Scarlet Knights are the favorite on On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).
Michigan’s offseason strength and conditioning program is no joke. Many Wolverines gained or lost a significant amount of weight since last season. Keep in mind U-M did not update weights for returning players during its spring roster release, so the original numbers are actually from this time last year.
Eighteen Michigan players are 10 or more pounds heavier or lighter than last season, highlighted by a team-high 29-pound gain from sophomore offensive lineman Tristan Bounds.
Two projected starters on the defensive front-seven — senior EDGE Mike Morris and senior defensive tackle Mazi Smith — gained 11-plus pounds. Smith is up to 337 pounds and is the second-heaviest Wolverine behind freshman defensive tackle Kenneth Grant (356 pounds). Meanwhile, junior linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green (232 pounds) and sophomore safety Rod Moore (185) are up 12 pounds, and junior defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (285) and sophomore linebacker Junior Colson (235) are up 10.
On the offensive side of the ball, two Michigan weapons gained 10 pounds — junior running back Blake Corum (210 pounds) and senior tight end Erick All (255). On the offensive line, senior left guard Trevor Keegan shedded a whopping 19 pounds and is now at 305.
Quote Of The Day
“Today’s college sports are a billion-dollar business, with athletes sacrificing time and turning down quintessential college experiences to practice and perform well. With all of the money in college athletics, it was and is simply unsustainable for student athletes not to profit from their talents and contributions. Schools essentially have two options: Work today with their current athletes and create a system that makes sure everyone is compensated fairly, or expect that it will be dictated by the courts, a future players association, or Congress, sooner rather than later.” — Michigan Regent Jordan Acker in a guest article on Sportico
Headlines Of The Day
• EJ Holland, The Wolverine: Blue Chips: Breaking down Michigan TE commit Deakon Tonielli
• EJ Holland, The Wolverine: Wolverine TV: Michigan recruiting takeaways from BBQ at The Big House
• Chris Balas, The Wolverine: Michigan Regent Jordan Acker on NIL: It’s time to embrace NIL
• Clayton Sayfie, The Wolverine: Michigan football: Six offensive players to watch during fall camp
