Interim Michigan coach Mike Boynton is hoping for a title change in the next few days.When Dusty May left for the Dallas Mavericks on Monday in a move that sent shockwaves across college basketball, Boynton, one of May’s assistants the past two seasons, met immediately with athletic director Warde Manuel and was asked to “hold it down” as Manuel figured out next steps.Boynton went right to work, meeting with staff, players, agents and families in an effort to keep what’s expected to be a top-10 roster intact for the defending national champions. So far, Boynton has commitments from returners Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, and he believes that by next weekend, the roster will closely resemble what it was going to look like under May.As for what the program looks like going forward, Boynton is trying to convince Michigan that a long-term commitment to him is the best setup for sustained success.“I’m operating as if I’m going to be the coach,” Boynton told The Athletic on Saturday night. “I’m certainly going to try to make sure they understand that (keeping the interim tag) will create a different set of challenges.”Boynton, 45, was previously the head coach at Oklahoma State for seven seasons, from 2017 to 2024, and was known as the defensive coordinator for a Michigan program that went 37-3 this past season. His pitch to Michigan’s administration: “I’ve done the job. I may not have done the job at Michigan, but I’ve been a successful coach at this level. I’ve sat there with Dusty, and the system is kind of set in place, but the best way to give everybody stability is to just not be worried about how long this is going to be and just go for it.”In announcing Boynton as interim coach Tuesday, Manuel did not indicate a timeline for a decision on May’s full-time replacement.“His experience, character and commitment to our values make him the right person to guide the team during this transition,” Manuel said in a statement Tuesday. Michigan did not have an additional comment when asked Sunday about whether the plan is to keep the interim tag on Boynton all season.Manuel has been in a similar spot. Football coach Jim Harbaugh left in January 2024 following a national championship and Manuel hired offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore to replace him. Moore was 15-8 in two seasons before his termination for an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.Harbaugh left early in the offseason. May left at a time when rosters are mostly set and the coaching carousel has long stopped.Dusty May leaving for pros is familiar for Michigan fansAustin MeekBoynton is likely correct in that Michigan’s best chance at keeping the 2026-27 roster together is to keep Boynton and some of May’s staff. (Boynton said he’s focused on the roster first, and once that’s set, he’ll get to work on the staff.) For recruiting purposes, playing out a season with an interim coach makes future roster-building difficult, too. It’s hard to get a commitment from a player if they aren’t sure who the coach will be in a year.The flip side is Michigan would be among the best open jobs in the sport if it were to open a full search after next season. That was evident two years ago when it landed May, who was one of the hottest candidates in the country after taking Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023.As for whether Boynton is the best man for the job, he’s trying to make that argument. And he has some experience in this spot.Boynton said the last week has felt somewhat like deja vu. In March 2017, Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood, only one year into the job, left for Illinois the day after the season ended. Boynton was elevated to head coach six days later.May made his decision Monday morning. Boynton was asked to meet with Manuel, and the news of May’s departure became public as Boynton was on his way to the meeting.A day when Boynton was supposed to be working at one of May’s youth summer camps at the Crisler Center became something else. He began meeting with Michigan’s players immediately.“We were off and running,” Boynton said. “It was crazy.”Boynton had been planning to attend Tuesday’s NBA Draft, but he wasn’t sure if he should still go considering the circumstances. Manuel encouraged him to go because he needed to be there to represent Michigan. Boynton stayed in New York on Tuesday night to replace May on Wednesday morning at an event at the New York Athletic Club.