Every coaching cycle, it’s common for college basketball programs to hire head coaches on five-year deals.
That’s what former Michigan assistant Justin Joyner received at Oregon State this spring. Same with Randy Bennett at Arizona State, Casey Alexander at Kansas State and Justin Gainey at N.C. State, to name a few.
At some high-major programs, it can be even longer. Mike Malone got a six-year deal at North Carolina and Will Wade inked a seven-year contract to return to LSU.
At Michigan, meanwhile, Mike Boynton Jr. agreed to a two-year deal last week to succeed Dusty May, who left for the NBA. While the contract length is notably different, the timing of Boynton’s hiring was too, with May departing for the Dallas Mavericks in late June well after the coaching carousel had stopped.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, whose job security has been in the news this week, explained his reasoning for Boynton’s contract structure during a wide-ranging radio interview.
“The contract is one that really gives him an opportunity to showcase and show what he can do,” Manuel said Tuesday on WTKA’s “The Michigan Insider.”
“It gives the ability for him to earn that extra year and maybe another contract is what I told him.”
Boynton, 44, previously served as Oklahoma State’s head coach from 2017-24, going 119-109 in seven seasons with the Cowboys before he was fired. He’s spent the last two seasons as May’s top assistant, helping run a defense that ranked No. 12 and No. 1 in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency during one of the program’s greatest two-year stretches that featured 64 wins, a Big Ten tournament title, a Big Ten regular-season championship, a Sweet 16 appearance and a national title.
Boynton was named the interim head coach by Manuel on June 23, a day after May made the jump to the NBA, and had the interim tag dropped two weeks later when he was officially promoted to full-time head coach.
Yet, signing Boynton to a prove-it deal isn’t a first for Manuel. When he was UConn’s AD, Manuel initially signed assistant Kevin Ollie to a one-year contract after head coach Jim Calhoun stepped down before the start of the 2012-13 season.
After a strong start, Manuel rewarded Ollie with an extension in December 2012. Ollie received another extension after the Huskies won the national title in 2014.
It’s possible something similar can happen with Boynton, whom Manuel called a “great person” that he’s gotten to know better over the past few weeks.
“By all indications, he is extremely solid, well liked, even with the seven years he was at Oklahoma State,” Manuel said, explaining why he chose Boynton to be Michigan’s next head coach.
“He was a vital part of us winning the national championship, and Dusty talked to me about that right away (before May left for NBA). We talked about (Boynton) and talked about his input and his involvement in the success of this team and how great he was to have on his staff, and how great of a commitment he made to making Michigan great.”
Manuel liked the fact that Boynton was a head coach before. While Boynton only made one NCAA Tournament in seven seasons, advancing to the Round of 32 in 2021 with top draft pick Cade Cunningham, and went 51-75 in Big 12 play at Oklahoma State, his tenure was marred by misfortune.
The Cowboys were on three years of probation during that time, which included a postseason ban in 2022, as a result of Level I violations by former associate head coach Lamont Evans that occurred before Boynton became head coach. Oklahoma State was also hit with reduced scholarships and other recruiting restrictions for three seasons by the NCAA.
“He dealt with some difficult situations at Oklahoma State,” Manuel said. “Once he started, they went under the FBI investigation (for college basketball bribery and corruption) with that one assistant (Evans). Then he recruits the No. 1 player in the country, who happens to be down the street with the Pistons, Cade Cunningham, and then COVID hits in that season. All of this, you look at it and you say, he’s got that experience. He sat in that seat. We have him here.”
Manuel added that the Michigan players love Boynton. Manuel said he spoke with four of them and they were “effusive” in their praise for Boynton.
It showed in the job Boynton did in terms of roster retention. Of the 14 players on the roster, all but one recommitted to stay and play for Boynton this coming season. The only player who opted to enter the transfer portal was junior guard L.J. Cason.
That, coupled with Boynton’s past head-coaching experience and the timing of the coaching change, made Manuel want to give Boynton a shot.
“I believe in Mike,” Manuel said. “The contract was written in a way to show that I believe in Mike, but to also showcase his ability to earn it long term and not just sort of step into the seat. And I believe he will, personally.”
jhawkins@detroitnews.com
@jamesbhawkins
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Warde Manuel explains rationale for Mike Boynton Jr.’s contract structure
Reporting by James Hawkins, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By James Hawkins, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
