With Thad Matta out, whom should the Buckeyes go after?
— -- It wasn't all that surprising that Thad Matta won't be coaching at Ohio State this coming season, but the timing was the baffling part of Matta's departure on Monday.
The first week of June isn't usually when a school decides to make a coaching change. Not unless something crazy happens.
Matta took over a program in shambles in 2004, one dealing with NCAA sanctions, and turned it into one of the best in the country for a significant stretch. He brought high-level talent to Columbus (i.e. Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., Jared Sullinger) and took the Buckeyes to a pair of Final Fours in his 13-year tenure.
But the program had taken a significant dip the last few years -- and watched the NCAA tourney as a bystander each of the past two seasons. Athletic director Gene Smith mentioned the lack of success recently on the recruiting trail as a major factor in why he decided to make a move now, and he was accurate in the fact that Ohio State just wasn't bringing in enough high-level players.
Now Smith will try to find someone that will put Ohio State back on the map in terms of hoops -- and it shouldn't be difficult to lure someone with a strong resume.
Job description
This isn't considered an elite job, but it's in that next tier. The state of Ohio produces a ton of talent, and Ohio State is the state school.
"It's a powerful place," said one coach who is familiar with Ohio State and where the job fits. "The brand is national. Everyone loves the Buckeyes."
Jim O'Brien took the Buckeyes to the Final Four in 1999. Matta did in 2007 and 2012. Fred Taylor won the program's only national title way back in 1960, with Jerry Lucas leading the way. The school has the resources, and there's not as much pressure in Columbus since, first and foremost, this is a football school.
Take a swing at
Sean Miller, Arizona Wildcats
Most would look at it as a downgrade of sorts, but the only reason Miller might be lured is if he and his family prefer the Midwest. Miller is catching a lot of heat from some for not getting the Wildcats to the Final Four, and he also has a new athletic director in Dave Heeke.
Archie Miller, Indiana Hoosiers
Might as well take a shot at the other Miller brother. Everyone knows how much he loves the Ohio State job from his time as an assistant to Matta, but the only problem is that he was hired by Indiana a little more than two months ago. Would he leave Bloomington so quickly? Nope, but it's worth making sure.
Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City Thunder
Donovan didn't have interest in Indiana, so it's unlikely he has any at this point in time with the Ohio State job. But it can't hurt to make a call and see if Donovan wants to get back into college.
Go after
Chris Mack, Xavier Musketeers
He knows the area, and has done a terrific job with the Musketeers program since taking over when Sean Miller left for Arizona. Mack has an Elite Eight appearance and three Sweet 16s in his eight years. He's recruited well, beating high-majors and in also evaluating players.
Gregg Marshall, Wichita State Shockers
Marshall makes huge money (more than $3 million per season) and basically runs Wichita. Now the Shockers are far more relevant heading into the American Athletic Conference this year. He's proven himself as a tremendous coach and evaluator, and the question is whether Ohio State AD Smith would go this route -- and whether Marshall would, in turn, bite.
Chris Holtmann, Butler Bulldogs
When you are looking at the last three years, it's hard to come up with anyone who has done more with less than Holtmann. He's 70-31 since taking over a mess, and has led the Bulldogs to three straight NCAA appearances -- including a Sweet 16 in March.
Scott Drew, Baylor Bears
Drew is a Midwest guy, having grown up in Indiana and been an assistant at Valparaiso to his dad. Drew has done an incredible job making Baylor relevant, and sustaining it in Waco. He's done it with a variety of teams and players, from highly regarded to ones he and his staff evaluated and developed.
Shaka Smart, Texas Longhorns
Smart has struggled for the most part in his two seasons in Austin, but he has enough returning and brings in a strong recruiting class highlighted by McDonald's All American Mo Bamba. Smart is familiar with the area, having coached in Akron early on in his career. But it would be difficult to imagine him leaving Texas right now.
Safety picks
Dan Muller, Illinois State Redbirds
There's basically no shot it gets this far, but Muller wouldn't be a bad hire at all in Columbus. He's recruited at a high level for both Vanderbilt, as an assistant, and the last five years at Illinois State as a head coach. He's gone to a pair of NITs and nearly made the NCAA tournament this past season.
Steve Forbes, East Tennessee State Buccaneers
He'd walk to Columbus if given the opportunity, but there's little chance it gets to him. However, Forbes is 51-20 in two seasons at ETSU -- including an NCAA tournament bid this past year.
Recommendation
Chris Mack
He fits in a variety of ways. He can get up and running quickly in the area recruiting-wise, is a proven X's and O's guy and also can bring a strong staff immediately that can help him. This would be the home run hire -- if the Xavier alumnus would take the gig at this late date.
Prediction
Chris Mack
After he was passed over by Indiana for Archie Miller, I think this might be the job that gets Mack to leave Xavier. After all, the current Xavier athletic director Greg Christopher wasn't the one who hired Mack. Although Mack had no shortage of success with the Musketeers, Ohio State would give him far more cachet with recruits.
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