Ex-Michigan coach John Beilein opens up on Wolverines' national title victory: 'I felt like I had to be here'
Beilein spoke with CBS Sports moments after Michigan's national title game win
INDIANAPOLIS -- Sitting four rows up, across from Michigan's bench on Monday night during the national title game, was a familiar face.
Michigan's former coach John Beilein, who spent 12 seasons with the program before leaving in 2019 to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers, was at the national title game, rocking a navy blue suit jacket. Juwan Howard's predecessor told CBS Sports he "had to be here" to watch Michigan win the title.
Beilein wasn't in attendance for Michigan's win over Arizona last weekend, but he was there for the final game of the season, watching his old team defeat UConn to claim its second national championship.
"I've been away all year because I really thought once I was done, I wanted to walk away and say we got things in the right direction," Beilein told CBS Sports. "I want Dusty to have his space to do what he wants to do, and he's done a great job with it. It's Easter weekend. I have the grandkids in town. There was no way I was leaving Saturday. But (the) championship? I felt like I had to be here."
During the Beilein era at Michigan, the program reached the national title game twice (2013, 2018) but lost to Louisville and Villanova, respectively. Beilein finished 278-150 in his 12 seasons at the helm of the program, which included nine NCAA Tournament berths.
In Beilein's first year at Michigan, during the 2007-08 campaign, the team finished 10-22. The following season, Michigan doubled its win total (22) and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
When May took over Michigan during the 2024 offseason, the program was coming off an eight-win season during the final year of Howard's tenure. May took Michigan to the Sweet 16 in his first season. Then, in Year 2, May delivered a national title back to Ann Arbor.
Michigan became the first team since Michigan State (1978-79) to win a national title two or fewer seasons removed from winning less than 10 games.
"It's remarkable from last place to this," Beilein said. "In just two years, fantastic. He's been given the resources you need to do it, too. He's taken advantage of it."
Michigan built a roster heavy on the transfer portal en route to the title. All five of the Wolverines' starters were from the transfer portal. Ironically, UConn had more players (Tarris Reed Jr.) who started their respective careers at Michigan than the team that won the national championship.
May's unique transfer portal style has worked. It's why Michigan was the last team standing at Lucas Oil Stadium and the first Big Ten team to win a national title since Michigan State in 2000.
"A national championship is great," Beilein said. "To me, it was not about (getting over the hump). It was about developing young men to be ready for the rest of the world. But this is a nice thing to have another banner."
