Warde Manuel to step down as Michigan Athletic Director: What happened, what is Manuel’s legacy, what’s next for U-M athletics?

In this episode, Zach Shaw and Alejandro Zuniga break down the news that Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel will step down at the end of the calendar year after more than a decade leading the University's athletic department.

They open with a look at the timing of the news, which came after a week of outside speculation that Michigan's investigation into the athletic department's culture had found Manuel culpable. They discuss Michigan releasing an abbreviated outline of the findings, and why it's time for Manuel to step down, regardless of the results of this specific investigation.

They then pivot to look at Manuel's tenure with Michigan, which began in 2016. They discuss both the high amount of scandals and championships under Manuel's watch, including multiple NCAA investigations, 80 Big Ten titles and national titles in both football and men's basketball.

They close with a look at what Michigan should look for in its next athletic director, and how the University should balance the financial and traditional component of the athletic director role.