It seems like every Michigan basketball fan has a strong opinion about whether or not Mike Boynton should have the interim tag taken off ahead of the 2026-27 season.
First things first, Warde Manuel needs to determine if Boynton is going to coach the Wolverines this season. It would be shocking if that wasn't the case.
The only real question, it seems, is whether or not the interim tag will be removed. Most seem opposed to that. Some are against Boynton getting the job regardless of what he does as the interim coach.
The other camp is in wait-and-see mode, as well as the camp that believes giving him the job now would give him and the program the best chance at success in the short and long term. That's Boynton's stance.
Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings for the upcoming college basketball season, via @jeffborzello 👀 pic.twitter.com/kHwnHZGmIe
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) July 6, 2026
Regardless of that final decision, Boynton has put together a top-five roster this season. ESPN released its preseason top 25 this week, with Michigan listed as No. 5. CBS college basketball expert Jon Rothstein has the Wolverines ranked fourth. Not everyone agrees this is a top-5 roster, but after retaining 12 of the 14 players on the team when Dusty May left, including all five projected starters, Boynton passed his first test as head coach with flying colors.
Predicting what Michigan will do with Mike Boynton
Boynton has seven years of head-coaching experience. He posted three 20-win seasons with Oklahoma State, had three top-20 defenses via Kenpom, and signed Cade Cunningham.
The overall record wasn't great, but Boynton recruited others like Lindy Waters III and Cameron McGriff, who also reached the NBA. Moussa Cisse also led the Big 12 in blocks and was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
There is a track record. Probably not one good enough to get the Michigan job based on just that. However, it still feels like naming him interim coach for the 2026-27 season is the most likely outcome.
As far as getting that removed? That will be easier than some fans want. If the Wolverines make the NCAA Tournament, avoiding the play-in round, Boynton would likely be retained as the head coach.
The two-year assistant under May has one career NCAA Tournament win under his belt. This team should be good enough to win multiple games in the 2027 NCAA Tournament.
If Boynton fails to do that, many will want him gone. Based on Michigan's past, it's hard to see that happening, which is why all the work this summer will likely ensure that Boynton is the long-term head coach, as long as he doesn't squander one of the best rosters in college basketball.
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