Report: Michigan set to interview Providence’s Ed Cooley for HC job

Ed Cooley is a name that has popped up on Michigan’s radar to replace John Beilein as the head coach of the men’s basketball program in recent days and it appears there is more steam to that rumor. According to Nick Baumgardner of the Detroit Free Press, U-M athletic director Warde Manuel was set to speak to the Providence head coach about the position on Monday.

He writes:

“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Manuel was scheduled to speak with Providence head coach Ed Cooley about the job on Monday before interviewing Miami Heat assistant and former U-M star Juwan Howard on Tuesday. A source also said Manuel has talked with current Michigan assistants Luke Yaklich and Saddi Washington about the job.”

Cooley has 13 years of head coaching experience between Fairfield and Providence, where he has spent the last eight seasons of his career. He has a record of 162-110 with the Friars and has made the NCAA Tournament five times in that span, but advancing past the opening round only once and being bounced in the Round of 32 in 2015-16. Cooley teams have not finished higher than being tied for third place in the Big East since his arrival, but have competed and reached the 20 win plateau five times.

Also in Baumgardner’s report states what has been out there in Juwan Howard’s interview on Tuesday, but now we know that both Luke Yaklich and Saddi Washington have spoken to Manuel about the job. Yaklich reportedly has interest for a spot on Shaka Smart’s staff at Texas, while Washington has been endorsed for the job by his former peers in Alabama’s Nate Oats and Oakland’s Greg Kampe. Washington was the interim head coach last summer for the trip to Europe after Beilein’s heart surgery.

Howard is considered by some as the favorite for the job after spending the last five seasons in the NBA as an assistant after a long playing career. He is most notable one of the former members of the Fab Five at Michigan.