Michigan’s Juwan Howard cleared to coach after…..

Michigan’s Juwan Howard cleared to coach after surgery, review

Juwan Howard of Michigan will take the bench again as the head coach of the Wolverines on Saturday, athletic director Warde Manuel said on Friday.

After having heart surgery in September, this will be Howard’s first game as the team’s full-time head coach this season.

In addition, Howard has escaped punishment after an incident during practice last week. According to people who spoke to ESPN, he got into a fight with strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson.

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Several accounts claim that no punches were exchanged, but the two guys had to be separated. Last Sunday, Michigan played Iowa, and Sanderson was not present. Howard traveled with the squad and was on the bench.

“The return of our usual coaching structure comes after a review of an incident involving several individuals during a team practice last week,” Manuel stated. “A comprehensive internal assessment revealed nothing that would have called for disciplinary action against any of the parties involved. We shall thus proceed, concentrating on our squad and the next season.”

Howard’s gradual return to a full-time position will continue with Saturday’s game between Michigan and Eastern Michigan.

The goal of the September procedure was to repair the aortic valve and excise an aortic aneurysm, which were discovered during a standard offseason medical examination.

Howard returned to the bench during Michigan’s trip to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis as an observer and has transitioned to an assistant coach role for the last two weeks.

“Coach Howard, his doctors and our medical experts remain aligned in taking this next step as he recovers from a September heart procedure,” Manuel said.

In Howard’s absence, Michigan’s interim head coach was associate head coach Phil Martelli.

“We greatly appreciate associate head coach Phil Martelli’s guidance of our program on an interim basis to start the season,” Manuel stated. “I would like to express my gratitude to Phil directly for leading the program over the last few months. His insight will continue to help us in the future.”

After a 3-0 start, the Wolverines are now 5-5 overall (1-1 in the Big Ten). Following their game on Saturday, the Wolverines will play Florida in the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte before returning home on December 29 to play McNeese to round out their nonconference schedule.

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