Report: Warde Manuel To Be The University of Michigan's Permanent Athletic Director

The University of Michigan has found its permanent athletic director in the form of Connecticut's Warde Manuel, according to a report from the Detroit Free Press.

Manuel is a Michigan graduate and played defensive back under Bo Schembechler from 1986-89 before a career-ending neck injury. He also was an associate athletic director with the Wolverines.

He was hired as Buffalo's athletic director in 2005 and was responsible for hiring Turner Gill to be the school's head football coach. Under Gill, the school had its first winning season and bowl game appearance in program history.

UConn hired Manuel as its athletic director in 2012. There, the basketball team won a national title in the first year following the hiring of head coach Kevin Ollie.

Manuel steps in to officially replace Jim Hackett, who had held the post of interim athletic director since Oct. 2014 following the resignation of David Brandon.

Under Hackett, U-M hired Jim Harbaugh as its new football coach, negotiated a record-setting apparel deal with Nike and inked men's basketball coach John Beilein to a contract extension, among other accomplishments.

We'll have more on this story as it develops.