Ohio State parted ways with men's basketball coach Chris Holtmann on Tuesday, which ended an uneven tenure with the Buckeyes.
Holtmann arrived at Ohio State in 2017-18, and the Buckeyes won 20 or more games in each of his first five seasons. That included four NCAA tournament berths (seeded No. 5, 11, 2, 7) – but Ohio State never reached the Sweet 16 in that stretch. That included a 2-15 upset to Oral Roberts.
The last two years have been tough. The Buckeyes are 30-39 and have a 9-24 record in Big Ten play. Ohio State lost six of its last seven games and fell out of tournament contention. They are on a 17-game losing streak on the road.
This still is an attractive job with the right coach. The Buckeyes won five Big Ten championships from 2006-12.
Who will coach Ohio State with Chris Holtmann out?
Jake Diebler – the brother of former Ohio State forward Jon Diebler – was named the interim coach for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. The Buckeyes, however, figure to open this coaching search up. Ohio State announced Holtmann will be owed the remaining $12.8 million on his contract.
Ohio State coaching candidates
The Ohio State coaching job should attract a wide scope of candidates. Here is a look at some names to keep in mind.
Best candidates
Lamont Paris, South Carolina
Paris is in the mix for national coach of the year this season. He's led South Carolina to a 21-3 record in just his second season – a remarkable turnaround for the program. Paris also is a Findlay, Ohio, native who played at Division III Wooster. He was an assistant at Akron (2005-10) and Wisconsin (2010-17) before taking the job at Chattanooga, where he took the Mocs to the NCAA tournament in 2021-22. Paris should be at or near the top of this search.
DECOURCY'S DOZEN: South Carolina an interesting case for committee
Dusty May, FAU coach
Is there a hotter name right now? May took the Owls to the Final Four last season, and FAU is 19-5 and poised to make another run in the NCAA tournament. The Owls ranks 18th in the NCAA with 83.5 points per game. Ohio State ranks 169th at 74.4 ppg. May, of course, is an Indiana alum and could always wait for that opportunity.
Chris Collins, Northwestern coach
Collins has the Wildcats in position to make their third NCAA tournament appearance in 11 seasons. It's a remarkable track record, and he could do more with the resources at Ohio State. Collins, 49, is another coach who fits — but he also could just as easily be a lifer in the Chicago market for the Wildcats.
MORE: Predicting the brackets for the 2024 NCAA tournament
Keep an eye on …
Anthony Grant, Dayton coach
Grant's stock is high given the work he's done for his alma mater. The Flyers are back in NCAA tournament contention this season – and they were 29-2 and in position to make a national championship run in 2020 before the tournament was canceled. Grant had just one tournament appearance at Alabama from 2009-15. This is a good fit.
Josh Schertz, Indiana State coach
Don't get Schertz and May mixed up. Schertz was a student assistant at FAU and has worked up the coaching ranks. Schertz built a Division II powerhouse at Lincoln Memorial and has led a revival at Indiana State the last three seasons. The Sycamores are on pace for a tournament appearance, and they rank ninth in the country with 84.9 ppg. Schertz might not be a huge name in Columbus, but that does not mean he would not have success.
Buzz Williams, Texas A&M coach
There is a connection with new athletic director Ross Bjork, and Williams is closing in on a seventh 20-win season in the last nine years between stints with Virginia Tech and Texas A&M. Williams also had experience at Marquette – where he led an Elite Eight run in 2012-13. Williams, 51, would be the by-definition solid hire for the Buckeyes.
Scoonie Penn, Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach
Penn – the former director of player development at Ohio State – would be a popular choice. He played point guard on the Buckeyes' 1999 Final Four team, and he has been an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies since 2018.
Chris Mack, former Louisville coach
Mack was 215-97 at Xavier from 2013-18 before taking the job at Louisville, which produced a 63-36 record over three seasons. Mack is reportedly exploring coaching opportunities for next season, and the Buckeyes had success the last time they went through Xavier with Thad Matta. Mack, 54, would be an interesting fit in Columbus.
Pat Kelsey, College of Charleston coach
Kelsey is a Cincinnati native who was an assistant coach at Xavier. He had a 186-95 record from 2012-21, and he's been successful with Charleston the last three seasons. Would Kelsey return closer to home with a shot to prove it in the Big Ten? At 48 years old, it could be that time to find out.
