Michigan HC Rumors: Providence's Ed Cooley to Interview, Is a Primary Candidate

Providence head coach Ed Cooley has reportedly "emerged as a primary candidate" to replace John Beilein as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team. 

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported the news, noting Cooley is scheduled to meet with Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel to discuss the opening after the Cleveland Cavaliers hired Beilein.

Rothstein said Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard is another leading candidate.

Cooley coached at Fairfield for five seasons before accepting the Providence job and finished with a 92-69 record and one MAAC regular-season crown.

He has been with the Friars the last eight seasons and sports a 162-110 overall record and seven straight winning records after he was just 15-17 in his first year at the helm. He led the team to a Big East tournament championship in 2014, which kicked off a stretch of five straight NCAA tournament appearances.

It marked the first time Providence made the Big Dance since 2004.

As for Howard, this would be his first head-coaching experience. He has been an assistant with the Heat the last six seasons. He has an obvious connection with the Wolverines, though, seeing how he was a player as part of the Fab Five in the early 1990s and already earned the recommendations of former teammate Jalen Rose and ESPN’s Jay Williams.

Whoever takes over the program will have lofty expectations to fulfill after Beilein led it to the national championship game in two of the last seven years.