The search to replace Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel is underway.
President-elect C. Cybele Raver will lead the process in conjunction with current U-M President Domenico Grasso. U-M has brought on ZRG Turnkey, a national search firm that also helped U-M athletics land former basketball coach Dusty May and current football coach Kyle Whittingham, to assist in the search.
"The university is seeking a leader of unquestioned integrity who will take a fresh, comprehensive look at Michigan Athletics and guide the department through a period of transformational change in college sports,” read a university statement.
U-M is also soliciting “nominations, ideas and feedback” on the search via email in order to “ensure a robust candidate pool.”
Michigan is in need of a new athletic director for the first time in more than a decade after Manuel announced earlier this year he would be stepping down as of Dec. 31, 2026. He will be paid a buyout of more than $7 million.
Manuel was the face of the department during a run of unprecedented athletic success, including national championships in both football (Jan. 2024) and men’s basketball (2026).
However, on the heels of a $12 million investigation into the department’s culture and its handling of the firing of former football coach Sherrone Moore, it found there were gaps in his leadership.
Manuel's general handling of allegations had come into question, particularly after Moore was fired in December for what was found to be an affair, when former assistant Paige Shiver came forward and admitted as much to Manuel. U-M had previously commissioned an internal investigation but did not find anything to support what at that point had been a well-circulated rumor.
“[There were] failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing by athletic department employees,” the search found.
Full findings from the search were never made public as the university refused to release documents, saying they are protected by attorney-client privilege and providing them publicly may lead to negative consequences, including retaliation against witnesses.
Manuel, who signed a five-year extension in December 2024, had four years left on the deal that ran through 2030 and paid him more than $2 million annually.
The timing now is key, given Raver is set to take over on Dec. 1. There are just more than two months remaining before Manuel’s tenure is set to end, at which time the Wolverines will need to either appoint an interim AD or have finished the hiring process and handed over the keys to someone new.
The timing is also notable given Michigan football’s current struggles. Whittingham’s team is 4-3 and seen as one of the more disappointing teams in America.
There will be decisions to be made about the future of the program — ones that are often made in late December, which is when Whittingham was hired last year (Dec. 26).
If there’s no permanent AD in place by that time, it’s unclear if there’s anybody in position to make a determination on Whittingham’s future. While he doesn’t seem to be in imminent danger, the fan base has started to lose its cool as the offense has limped its way through seven games.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: University of Michigan officially begins search for new athletic director
