3 Big Ten coaches on the hot seat ahead of 2024 college basketball season ft. Steve Pikiell
Being a Power Conference, the Big Ten was in the middle of the changing coaching landscape in college basketball this offseason. Teams like Michigan and Washington moved from their previous coaches for more promising names. USC was among BYU, Arkansas and Kentucky that saw high-profile names gripping their program.
Now, as teams head on the the 2024-25 season, let’s look at the top hot seats in Big Ten conferences who will operate in the coming year with equal pressure on and off the court.
Big Ten coaches on the hot seat ahead of the 2024 college basketball season
#3 Kevin Willard - Maryland Terrapins
Willard's 2023 record: 16-17 (7-13 Big Ten conference)
Kevin Willard joined the Terrapins in 2022 and deployed a few exciting games against the Fighting Illini and the Purdue Boilermakers. Moreover, Maryland earned an NCAA Tournament bid to beat West Virginia in a close 67-65 encounter before Bruce Pearl’s Tide flushed them with a 73-51 blowout.
Nevertheless, while it was seen as a great year for the first-year coach, he couldn't use it as a benchmark for the 2023-24 season. Instead, the Terrapins struggled to relate by becoming one of the poorest 3-point shooting rosters.
However, the good news is that Maryland simply needs to find a team identity this time around to call this season a success. The program turned to the portal to rebuild the roster and is hoping to make some noise in the coming campaign.
#2 Steve Pikiell - Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Pikiell's 2023 record: 15-17 (7-13 in Big Ten conference)
Had this been the 2022 offseason, the conversation would have been different for Rutgers.
Pikiell joined the Scarlet Knights in 2017 and has steered them to two NCAA tournaments, in 2021 and 2022. While it was the school's first NCAA journey in 20 years, it ended way quickly that it took them to go there.
Now, even though Pikiell and Rutgers have landed the commits of two of the best recruits in the country (Ace Baily and Dylan Harper), it only adds more pressure to the program.
It mostly stems from Rutgers's inability to earn an NCAA bid in the last two years. Moreover, cruising through the Big Ten will get even more troublesome with the additions of UCLA and Oregon.
#1 Mike Woodson - Indiana Hoosiers
Woodson's 2023 record: 19-14 (10-10 in Big Ten conference)
Woodson has a winning record of 61% through his three seasons with Indiana. He has led the school to two NCAA Tournament bids and a top-10 ranking in the 2022-23 season. His resume looks solid.
However, when it comes to forging a culture, Woodson is yet to show his acumen. Most of his success came behind the All-American player Trayce Jackson-Davis before the Golden State Warriors picked him in 2023.
Without him, Woodson’s wins decreased to a 5-% record in conference games, and he has showcased an inability to develop promising freshman Mackenzie Mgbako or utilize the veteran Xavier Johnson.