With Juwan Howard’s announcement that Austin Davis will return for a fifth year comes another question — how will the Wolverines make it to 13 scholarships next season?

The Wolverines are currently at 14 and expected to take at least one more 2020 pledge, which would bring them to 15. They’re still actively recruiting five-stars Josh Christopher and Greg Brown, and while Brown would be a longer shot, most believe Christopher is leaning toward U-M.

2020-21

1: Austin Davis, 6-10 5th-Sr. C

2: Eli Brooks, 6-1 Sr. PG/SG

3: Isaiah Livers, 6-8 Sr. PF

4: David DeJulius, 6-0 Jr. PG

5: Brandon Johns, 6-8 Jr. PF

6: Colin Castleton, 6-11 Jr. C

7: Adrien Nunez, 6-5 Jr. SG

8: Cole Bajema, 6-7 So. SG

9: Franz Wagner, 6-8 So. SF

10: Zeb Jackson, 6-3 Fr. PG

11: Isaiah Todd, 6-10 Fr. PF

12: Hunter Dickinson, 7-1 Fr. C

13: Terrance Williams, 6-6 Fr. SF

14: Jace Howard, 6-7 Fr. PF

"All I can say is I will not look forward to next year, because we still have a season to play," Howard said when asked about the numbers crunch. "I just know Austin Davis will be a part of it. That's all I can tell you right here, all I'm comfortable saying at this moment."

There is almost always attrition, and without speculating on transfer candidates, that always seems to happen. We could see one or two moving on.

Five-star freshman Isaiah Todd did not sign in the early period and, while he has said he wants to play at U-M, he has options to play professionally, perhaps overseas. Some have even speculated that incoming frosh Jace Howard, Juwan’s son and a three-star prospect, could greyshirt or perhaps even prep a year.

What we do know — Davis will be back, and U-M won’t stop its pursuit of Christopher and Brown. These things work themselves out, and the coaches have an idea of what will happen.

Stay tuned.

NEWS AND VIEWS

NEWS: Michigan will honor seniors Jon Teske and Zavier Simpson on Senior Night tonight, the two winningest Wolverines of all time.

HOWARD: “What I’ve witnessed from afar, they’ve been great. I’ve been fans of Jon and Zavier as far as how they represented their schools, also how they represented their families. Their work ethic shown throughout their careers of how hard they’ve worked in practice, offseason and then during the season, each player has gotten better and better.”

VIEWS: They’ve developed a great relationship, Howard said … and not just the seniors, but all of them. That started at the top, and for all the talk about their limitations, Teske and Simpson are the two winningest Michigan players of all time.

“It’s beautiful. Coach [John] Beilein did a great job of bringing in two Ohio guys that have done a great job of representing Michigan," Howard said.

They will be missed next year, probably more than some realize.

But don’t expect it to get too emotional tonight, Howard said.

“We’re also thinking about Nebraska,” Howard said. “That’s a big priority. I don’t want us to forget. It’s an important game for us, our last regular season game in Crisler. We want it to be a good outing, and all of us can leave with smile on our face.”

NEWS: Michigan’s upperclassmen have helped Howard in his first year as a head coach.

HOWARD: “It’s not just the two seniors. All players on the roster have helped me with my adjustment here. I’m not going to always get it right. I’m going to make mistakes, but they have been in my corner, super supportive, and I have learned from my players. Learned from X and Jon, both high IQ ball players see things on floor sometimes wee as coaches may miss.”

VIEWS: At times, he said, he’ll give Simpson the white board and let him draw up a play. Other times Teske will suggest a way to guard the ball screen or junior Isaiah Livers will suggest something else. Howard has approached his first head coaching gig with humility, and it’s played a big part in this team’s success.

“How our team has bought into just being a family,” Howard said. “I walked into a team that has embraced me and new coaching.”

And he’s relied heavily on what worked before, a credit to him.

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