Michigan fans might be wondering when the next shoe is going to drop, as it has felt like they constantly need to be wondering when the next big set of news will hit. Less than a month ago, news broke that Dusty May was leaving Michigan months after winning a National Championship with the Wolverines. Then, earlier this week, there were rumors that athletic director Warde Manuel's time at Michigan could be coming to a close.
It was reported that the Michigan Board of Regents scheduled a meeting for Thursday, and Manuel's future was set to be discussed. Fans quickly felt that Michigan was finally going to move on from their athletic director, something they had been asking for years after numerous scandals within the department.
Manuel gave a statement on the rumors of the meeting, stating he had multiple great talks with the university president, and he believed he would be the AD at Michigan going forward. Well, the Thursday meeting is now officially over, and Tony Garcia, a reporter with The Detroit Free Press, has reported that Michigan Athletics was not even discussed at all.
Update from the Michigan Board of Regents meeting: https://t.co/R0zLkIWIXa
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 16, 2026
Warde Manuel avoids the chopping block yet again at Michigan, and it's starting to get old
There was a sliver of hope; it wasn't much, but fans finally felt like the Warde Manuel era was finally coming to a close. Manuel's time at Michigan has not just been marred by multiple scandals in the athletic department, but also by an inability to keep championship-winning coaches around, at the very least, for one season after they win it all.
When the news hit that May was leaving Michigan for the NBA, sure, there were some who were happy for him moving to the next level, but furious with Warde for not doing more. Ultimately, it was May's decision whether to stay or go, but there will always be questions on whether or not he could have done more.
When the rumors that Manuel's days were numbered hit, Michigan fans couldn't help but latch on and start to hope a new era was coming. Manuel somehow yet again avoids the fire, and at this point, he is like a cat with nine lives. He has to have lost at least four or five at this point, but is still finding a way to survive and advance in Ann Arbor.
Manuel did an interview with The Michigan Insider's Sam Webb on Tuesday, and even took some shots at the Michigan fanbase, which didn't win him any favor. Now with this new bit of news, it is going to get fans even more frustrated, but this may not be the end of the Manuel saga.
If the doubt has been planted, it is bound to grow at some point, and could mean Michigan fans get what they have wanted for years now: Manuel out as the athletic director at Michigan.
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