Speaking to reporters Thursday for the first time this offseason, Michigan coach Juwan Howard provided an update on the program’s NIL protocol.
A reporter asked Howard how the novice NIL legislation has impacted recruiting, and if the rules have made Howard’s job easier or more difficult.
“NIL is one of those things where it has helped some programs with what they’ve done in the transfer portal,” Howard said. “For us, NIL hasn’t hurt me or the team when it comes to recruiting or the transfer portal.”
“Have conversations of NIL been brought up in recruiting? Yes, it has. Would I like to see more done for the program, in the sense of some of the things that are happening to other programs? Yes.
“And I know this is gonna be a storyline, and it’s OK. Do we have a collective here? No. Do other programs have collectives? Yes. Could we be more proactive with the NIL and use more forward-thinking? Yes. And I say ‘we’ because I’m including myself. But our athletic department, as well as Michigan as a whole, we could do better.”
Asked if he has shared that sentiment with his higher-ups in the athletic department, Howard laughed and said “yes.”
Michigan has faced particular scrutiny for its slow-moving NIL roll-out since the NCAA adopted a new, permissible NIL policy last June.
In May, Hunter Dickinson was particularly critical of the University’s NIL policies, saying that he “feels bad” for Howard and football coach Jim Harbaugh because “they’re gonna lose out on so many players if (members of the Athletic Department and the University) don’t start stepping up to the plate.”
Notable Replies
Discuss the Article
12 more replies
goblue8
warde has done nothing leaders and best like, um could do so much better
NamedMyDogFranz
Warde is such a joke. I think he’s a major reason why we lag behind in NIL. Also, after he handled the hockey situation there is reason enough to fire him. He’s so stuck in his ways and takes credit for things that fell in his lap. Cannot wait to get a new AD here
colin
I definitely wondered when that Wangler post dropped if Juwan shared the Harbaugh/Warde consensus on this stuff. Could easily imagine he sees it as being handcuffed by others’ lack of hustle.
SuperDave41
Michigan’s NIL strategy for recruits is about as smart of a play as deciding to box Lennox Lewis or Mike Tyson using only one hand.
goblue8
Basically boosters wanted a collective, usc would not sign off, so boosters said screw it and started their own against usc wishes. From what i’ve heard from some people that have private messaged me on some boards and read on various um boards, something similar is going on here(except boosters have yet to say screw it and start one without um sign off). Basically um admin does not want one and will not give the ok for major boosters to start a collective. These boosters want that because they do not want to risk disassociation. They also know it will be much less powerful if the university is not signing off on it. The big time boosters are not going just give to a collective, they are going ask admin and coaches if it is legit and that their dollars will be properly used. Basically getting a its good from the university gives the collective the credibility to actually raise major funds.