Is Thad Matta taking the Ohio State head coach job? Buckeyes’ all-time winningest coach gets mired in coaching rumors
Thad Matta, the Ohio Buckeyes' all-time winningest coach, is in the headlines after Chris Holtmann was fired as Ohio State head coach in the middle of his seventh basketball season.
Holtmann faced the challenging task of succeeding Matta in Columbus, starting his tenure on a positive note. However, momentum dwindled following a shocking loss as a No. 2 seed in the 2021 NCAA tournament. He finished 14-11 in his final season with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Gene Smith, Ohio State's athletic director, reflected on the choice to fire Holtmann, expressing remorse for extending his contract two years ago. This decision now obligates the university to pay a $12.8 million buyout.
While it is too early to say whether Thad Matta is going to take over the job, he is certainly among the favorites to do so. One complication is that he is coaching the Butler Bulldogs.
Ohio State Buckeyes coaching candidates, ft. Thad Matta
Thad Matta (Butler Bulldogs)
In 460 games for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Thad Matta was able to build up an impressive resume in 13 college seasons at Columbus, Ohio.
Under Matta's watch, the Buckeyes won 337 games, secured five regular-season titles in the Big Ten, made it to the championship game of the Big Ten tournament seven times, and clinched four tournament championships. He also went to the Final Four twice, and went on a trip to the 2007 NCAA championship game against Florida, with blue-chip recruits Greg Oden and Mike Conley.
It's not a surprise that Thad Matta's name is trending online, even if the three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year is currently serving his second season with the Butler Bulldogs.
Lamont Paris (South Carolina Gamecocks)
After a disappointing 11-21 debut season with the South Carolina Gamecocks, Lamont Paris has flipped the script in his second year. He has won the first 21 of 25 games in the 2023-2024 college basketball season, a total revamp. According to SportsLine, he is one of the favorites to secure the coveted Ohio State head coaching gig.
Wes Miller (Cincinatti Bearcats)
The former North Carolina Tarheel has done wonders for the Cincinnati Bearcats, putting the college basketball program back on track after a slow start in his first season.
Wes Miller is under the coaching tree of legendary college basketball coach, Roy Williams, and is part of the 2005 NCAA Championship team. At 41 years of age, he is the youngest of all the coaching candidates on this list.
Dusty May (Florida Atlantic Owls)
Aside from Thad Matta, Dusty May is the only coach on this coaching carousel that has reached the Final Four of the NCAA Division 1 men's basketball tournament. He guided the 2023 FAU team to a 35-4 record, winning both the Conference USA regular season title and the conference championship, and eventually leading the Boca Raton, Florida-based squad to a Cinderella run as a No. 9 seed.
Dusty May will be one of the most sought-after coaches in college basketball this off-season.