The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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36 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2019 Eisley's high school coach, Perry Watson, saw the highest levels of col- lege basketball, on board as an assis- tant coach for Michigan's Final Four appearances in 1992 and 1993. He in- sists Eisley can achieve great success as a college coach. Watson spoke with The Detroit Free Press follow- i n g M i c h i g a n ' s hiring of Eisley. The former U-M a s s i s t a n t o b v i - ously carries an emotional attach- ment for the new basketball staff. "I always felt he would be really good as a college coach because of his ability to teach and connect to young people," Watson said. "Obvi- ously when the opportunity to join Juwan at the University of Michigan, I was excited because I know that it'll be a great situation for all parties involved. "And especially Juwan, because we want Juwan to be successful." That ability to connect should prove extremely valuable in a key component for basketball success, Watson indicated. Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program, and the former U-M assistant stressed that the two Michigan coaches he knows the best should be excellent in that area. "He and Juwan will be very strong at recruiting," Watson said. "First of all, they both are honest people. Howard is very honest and very lik- able as a player and as a coach. So again, recruiting, sometimes people that haven't done it imagine obsta- cles that are not really there. "When it gets down to it, you go into a home, you meet parents, you meet players and you have to con- nect. The one thing that can connect is your track record and the experi- ences that you can bring and most players want to know, 'Can you make me better?' "I don't want to say it's easy be- cause it's never easy, but I see him definitely being able to connect. Peo- ple that don't connect well are the people that have personality flaws. Maybe they think they're high and mighty. Howard's not that kind of guy. His love of the game trumps all." Meanwhile, Knicks beat writer Mike Vorkunov from The Athletic told TheWolverine.com there might be an initial not-so-fast on the instant recruiting transition. "I think that seems to be the big- gest transition when it comes to col- lege from the NBA, the recruiting and the Byzantine NCAA rules," Vorkunov said. "He's well-respected in the NBA. [Knicks head coach] Da- vid Fizdale named him to a list of assistants he believed could become NBA coaches one day. "Obviously, [Fizdale] kept him on staff despite a coaching turnover, which is rare. So that tells you what he was thought of him in the NBA. Juwan Howard obviously thought enough of him to hire him on staff. I don't know if X's and O's acumen is something that is a question with him. "It's more how w i l l h e a d j u s t t o c o l l e g e a n d the particular demands that NBA coaches don't have to worry about." SADDI WASHINGTON Certainly, Washington won't worry about the same adjustments of his Howard Should Exceed The Recent First-Year Standard Some are worried about Michigan basketball taking a significant first-year step back under new head coach Juwan Howard. In comparison to what several of his predecessors did in their first full seasons at Michigan, that is not likely. Certainly, with the rush of talent to the NBA off last year's Sweet 16 crew, the Wolverines might suffer substantial adjustment issues. They're also not expected to reach 30 wins, like Michigan has the last two seasons. But as head coaching debut campaigns in Ann Arbor go, this one shouldn't rank anywhere close to the toughest. Here are the last five full seasons for new head coaches at Michigan: John Beilein, 2007-08: 10-22 — Beilein went on to become arguably the greatest Michigan basketball coach ever, but his start in Ann Arbor felt rougher than 40-grit sandpaper. The Wolverines went 5-13 in the Big Ten, lost four of their final five conference games and dropped a 51-34 clunker to Wisconsin to bow out of the Big Ten Tournament in its second game. Beilein was changing the culture, and the change — in the short term — proved painful. Tommy Amaker, 2001-02: 11-18 — Amaker took over a program still feeling the lingering effects of an NCAA investigation, and it showed. The Wolverines finished ninth in an 11-team Big Ten that year, stumbling through the early stages of Amaker trying to establish his program. The No. 10 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, they bowed out to Ohio State (75-68) in the second round. Brian Ellerbe, 1997-98: 25-9 — Ellerbe stands as the big exception here, due to inheriting a roster laden with talent, but on its way to NCAA sanctions. The Wolverines finished a solid fourth in the Big Ten at 11-5, won the inaugural Big Ten Tournament (later garnering an asterisk because of the sanctions) and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Three subsequent sub-.500 seasons marked the end of Ellerbe's tenure. Steve Fisher, 1990-91: 14-15 — Fisher already enjoyed all kinds of good will, after a six-game run to the national championship as the interim head coach. The year after his debut campaign involved the arrival of the Fab Five, including Michigan's present head coach. But that first full season featured a 7-11 Big Ten finish and NIT bid. Bill Frieder, 1980-81: 19-11 — Frieder took a nice handoff from Johnny Orr, who left an established program for a higher paycheck in Iowa. Frieder did continue a four-season streak of Michigan not making the NCAA Tournament, finishing seventh in the Big Ten at 8-10. The Wolverines made the NIT quarterfi- nals that year, but didn't get back to the NCAA Tournament until Frieder's fifth season at U-M. — John Borton Howard "I was looking to fill the staff with experienced basketball coaches who are egoless, hardworking, and ones that will help our young men grow both on and off the court — I feel I have done that."