Jace Howard has seemingly done everything right since arriving on campus a little more than two years ago.

As a freshman, Jace got after it in the gym and in practice, absorbing a ton of important lessons from that veteran team that reached the elite eight and won a Big Ten championship.

He understood that playing time would likely be rare in that first go-round, yet he was an incredible teammate and a loud presence on the bench,

which with no or few fans that season,

was a legitimate factor in some games.

Then last season, as a sophomore,

Jace maintained that crazy work ethic

while getting some chances when the game was still in doubt. He guarded every

spot on the floor, displaying an unending motor. Once again, he embraced the opportunities he earned

and supported others in a big time way when he wasn't out there. Now it's year three in Ann Arbor,

his junior season. Michigan does not have many veterans on

this team, but Jace is one of them and an important one. He has welcomed a role of leadership and

guidance for younger players, but there's no doubt Jace is hungry for and ready for some more

playing time. A ton of minutes are up for grabs in this program, and

Jace's versatility could be key in trying to gobble up some of them. What will his time

look like? What will his role look like? We don't really know. But last season, we did see

Jace adapt and thrive at a moment's notice.

And wait until he described some of those situations.

They're really unique.

You'll also really enjoy the way he describes some of the pieces on this team.

The hope for Michigan fans with those newcomers is that all of them embody the culture

of this program the way that

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