With a pool of talent to choose from, Warde Manuel can pinpoint one coach who inherits a championship roster. Several names have already been floated around, but one stands out above the rest that would send shockwaves throughout the Big Ten and the national scene if targeted, although a complete coaching search might not come till after the 2026-27 season.
For now, Mike Boynnton has been named the interim head coach and is expected to coach the 2026-27 Michigan basketball team, but another great option, either now or in the future, exists within the Big Ten conference.
Michigan should target Ben McCollum
That man is Ben McCollum from Iowa. He already has a championship pedigree and is arguably the hottest name on the coaching circuit. He went from running Division II, to the doorstep of the Final Four in two seasons at the D-1 level.
McCollum just signed an extension last month, but Michigan basketball could offer more money to make him one of the highest-paid leaders in the game. Dusty May's extension was short-lived. While at Drake, McCollum left after one year and accepted the Iowa job, so never say never. Although Iowa is considered his dream job, openings like Michigan are rare, especially fresh off a national championship.
Many proclaimed Dusty May as the Curt Cignetti of the college basketball world. Well McCollum may be the next closest thing to that moniker. Realistically speaking it will be hard to pry him away from Iowa following their best season in years. Plus it's very unusual to go from one championship coach to another without a hiccup. A prime example of that would be the recent football changes.
If not McCollum, then other coaches who make sense outside of McCollum include Josh Schertz and Billy Donovan. Schertz is on a similar path to May and Donovan is a bonafide hall of famer who is available like Kyle Whittingham was.
When Juwan Howard was fired, not everyone was on the Dusty May bandwagon, but hiring a guy like McCollum would rally the fanbase, just as it did when Jim Harbaugh was handpicked. Now, with all of the heat on Warde Manuel, he has no choice but to swing for the fences.
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