It’s been a strange season in Michigan. On Wednesday, the school announced that sophomore point guard Doug McDaniel will not play in the team’s road games “until further notice.” He will be eligible and active in Michigan’s home games during that period, according to coach Juwan Howard.
The Wolverines’ next game is Thursday at Maryland.
“Our program, our culture and our university have very high standards,” Howard said in a statement. “As leaders, we must set the standards and paths for our young people to succeed.”
McDaniel posted on social media He also announced that he will be suspended for six road games.
“Doug will dress up for home games, but when we are away from Ann Arbor, he will work to accomplish some academic goals he has set for himself,” Howard said. Told. “While we are disappointed, we do not take this lightly. This is an important step for Doug and his success as a student-athlete.”
To say the least, the school’s punishment is unusual. A player’s suspension most often means they are unable to play in consecutive games rather than alternating on and off.
The news is the latest off-court headlines for a program that has been plagued by off-court noise all season. Sources previously told CBS Sports that Howard was subject to a personnel review after a heated confrontation with Michigan strength and conditioning coach John Sanderson. Howard did not coach for the first six weeks of the season after recovering from heart surgery, but he was not disciplined for the incident.
As for McDaniel, he is a major contributor on an underperforming UM team. The Wolverines are 6-9. McDaniel averaged 17.8 points, 5.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds as a starter. If his suspension goes as planned, it’s clear he’ll be back for every game starting with Michigan’s game against Northwestern on February 22nd.
