• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

2021 College Basketball Coaching Carousel

"I know he's hard-nosed. He preaches defense, which I think with any team, is going to be the biggest key to success, getting them to play defense. He's had success with the different teams he's been with. I hope he can bring that to Indiana and get us back on the right track."
- Calbert Cheaney (Class of 1993)

"Coach Woodson was my first coach in the NBA. We learned a lot with each other. That first year, we won 13 games. He did a good job here and I enjoyed playing for him.
- Josh Childress , Atlanta Hawks

"Mike is very highly regarded in the NBA and could have had a longer career in this league if that is what he wanted. It is a great hire for Indiana. He will bring energy and enthusiasm to the team along with a ton of experience. Indiana has hired a good man for the long run. Hoosier fans will be pleased with Mike's ability and energy. He has a Indiana-type personality. It takes a special talent to be a Hoosier, and Mike has that talent."
- Mark Cuban (Class of 1981), Owner Dallas Mavericks

"Mike was an instrumental part of New York Knicks. He was an incredible resource and played a key role in us nearly making the playoffs. He was a very hard-working and dedicated scout and then as he has moved up in his career has become a very good head coach. I wish him nothing but the best. Indiana has picked the right man."
- Glen Grunwald, Former Executive New York Knicks

"Mike Woodson is one of the smartest, most knowledgeable, hardest working coaches I have ever worked with. His teams in the NBA achieved beyond their talent levels. Recruits to Indiana will play for a coach who was successful in the NBA for a long time and will teach them what they need to know to make it to the NBA."
- Mike Dantoni, Assistant Coach, Brooklyn Nets

"Indiana has definitely hit a grand slam with Mike Woodson. I've known Mike since we played on the same team in the late 80's, and I've always respected how hard he has worked at every step in his coaching career. People around the Big 10 will find out very quickly that Mike is an outstanding basketball coach."
- Hakeem Olajuwon, NBA Hall of Famer

"Mike Woodson combines an incredible work ethic with a razor-sharp basketball mind and will certainly be a credit to Indiana both on and off the court. In my 48 years of coaching, he ranks at the top in his ability to relate to players and develop programs."
- Gregg Popovich, Head Coach, San Antonio Spurs

"Mike Woodson is one of the top coaches in the country, and one of the most prepared and experienced. Mike may be quiet and soft spoken in demeanor, but he is also an intense competitor that understands the pursuit of excellence on and off the court. Mike has always stressed trust, hard work and togetherness, and he has always been about the players first.Mike has seen it all in this game, has handled everything with class, and has been successful at every stop. Indiana got a good one in Mike Woodson."
- Jay Bilas, ESPN Basketball Analyst

"What a wealth of experience Indiana is getting with this hire. Mike has been a head coach in the NBA at very different types of franchises. Mike has been an outstanding coach and person in all of them. Indiana is getting a terrific coach in Mike Woodson."
- Mike Krzyzewski, Head Coach, Duke University

"I have complete confidence in the leadership at Indiana University. I know decisions made are done so to support the best interest of the students, athletic department and University."
- Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat

"Mike is a great coach who I thought did a good job in the NBA when he had the opportunity. He has visited us at training camp in the past and I have enjoyed spending time with him. He is a nice guy, and I wish him the best of luck in his new position at Indiana."
- Brad Stevens, Head Coach, Boston Celtics

"I think Coach Woodson is a very talented coach. I had a chance to work with him for 3 years in New York. With his insight and knowledge of the game, I can definitely say he's going to be a head coach for a very long time."
- Carmelo Anthony, Portland Trail Blazers

"Mike Woodson will be a great addition to the Indiana program. He brings a ton of knowledge and experience having coached in the NBA. His coaching style and understanding of the game will help Indiana achieve success not only in the Big 10, but on the national level as well."
- Scott Brooks, Head Coach, Washington Wizards

"With Mike Woodson there's a level of preparation and organization that he brings to the table. He brings a brandable style of play at both ends, especially on offense where he looks for versatile players with high basketball IQs."
- Eric Bossi, 247sports.com

"I played for a lot of guys in my career. Mike was terrific. He has a terrific basketball mind, and he comes from the tutelage of Doc Rivers. He knows hard work and discipline."
- Joe Johnson, Seven-time NBA All-Star

"I am really happy and proud of Mike. This is so well deserved. Mike is not only a terrific coach, but a great person as well."
- Thad Matta, Indiana Hoosiers, Associate Athletic Director for Men's Basketball

"I think the world of Woody. He's an terrific coach. Believe me there has never really been any hire like this in history. Many people are saying that his tremendous winning will be really something very special."
- Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States of America
 
Last edited:
RJ's sources are great at telling us what didn't happen. They share juicy tidbits like the fact that Brad Stevens was not hired as WFU coach in 2010, Shaka Smart was not hired as WFU coach in 2014, and Thad Matta was not hired as WFU coach in 2020. Unfortunately, they haven't shared a whisper about the [name redacted], Manning, or Forbes hires ahead of time. Maybe someday they'll have actual, verifiable information in advance. Or maybe they'll just keep discussing what didn't happen, and that way no one can ever refute them.

Would be interested in how Matta ended up behind a desk if RJ's source(s) indicated that he was both "itching to get back into coaching" AND that he doesn't have any health issues.
 
My guess is they wanted Matta but he wasn’t up to the job physically but they collectively sold themselves on the idea of Matta acting as a GM and running the program with someone else as the day today head coach, likely because they didn’t have any other good options other than taking a shot with another mid major guy.

Sounds sorta like the way Wellman hired [Redacted] and then "ran" things from the AD's office, down to Wellman and Matta both being questionably healthy. But, at least Matta's issues aren't related to a head injury and at some point in his career, he was successful at running a team.
 
After thinking about this hire for a while, the best thing I can say is that it is high risk / high reward.

If it works out, it could be hugely successful. It also could be a complete disaster.

I'm still surprised Archie didn't succeed, so maybe I'm just a moron.
 
ESPN is reporting IU tried to get Stevens and Holtmann. This shows the irrationality of their search. Stevens wasn't leaving the Celtics mid-season. I wonder how many current coaches in P6 have moved directly from one top school to another top school in their own conference without another stop in between and without having been an alum.
 
Currently, 15 D1 head coaching positions remain open.

Three in Power Conferences:

Texas rumored candidates:

Chris Beard: Texas wants him; would create massive ill will in a conference that already hates Texas for the Longhorn Network among other issues, but that may not stop the Horns from poaching Texas Tech's dream coach.
Pitino: hilarious, hope it happens
Eric Musselman: Arkansas is so happy to be relevant again; they will pay Muss whatever he wants to stay
Porter Moser: Great coach; could not be a more different enviroment
Grant McCasland North Texas: will be an elite power conference coach; may not excite the fanbase, but one of the best in college hoop
Joe Golding Abilene Christian: knocked Texas out of the Tourney; Texas roots
Royal Ivey: played at TX, Nets assistant; no head coaching experience; the Juwan Howard path

Oklahoma:

Lots of the same names as Texas: Moser (fish out water), McCasland, Dana Altman (Oregon is a better job, IMO), Kelvin Sampson (took the Sooners the Final 4 in 2002; the NCAA infraction taint is fading), Mark Turgeon (he may want to preemptively leave MD)

DePaul:

Kenny Payne has reportedly backed out of the running after a deal was almost struck. Duke assistant Jon Scheyer (he's from Chicago; this seems like Wojo all over again); DePaul alum and former KY asssistant Rod Srickland are other rumored candidates.

One other job of local note:

Winthrop:

Lots of WF connections according the CLT Observer: Mark Prosser (has been OK, but not great at WCU), WF assistant BJ McKie (was an assistant at Charleston Southern, knows the SC basketball as well as anyone), Marty McGillan (Longwood assistant who was an assistant Wintrhop; Big South lifer), Justin Gray (an assistant at Winthrop under Kelsey), other Winthrop assistants: Dave Davis (former HC at Newberry), Brian Kloman, Zach Freesman. Winthrop may want to make a quick hire because they have talent, but its heading to the portal.
 
Last edited:
After thinking about this hire for a while, the best thing I can say is that it is high risk / high reward.

If it works out, it could be hugely successful. It also could be a complete disaster.

I'm still surprised Archie didn't succeed, so maybe I'm just a moron.

I'm with you on Archie. That's who I wanted at Wake after a solid job at Dayton. And he employs the packline like Bennett and Moser.

So Pilch, are you alleging that Eugene OR >>> Norman OK?

As for Tejas, they better get Beard. And they just might have the $$ to get that done. Musselman might be okay, though I'm not overwhelmed watching Arkansas in the tournament. Pitino is hilarious. But I kinda doubt Moser wants that kind of life style change and pressure. I'm still kinda bummed Loyola had such a bad shooting day against OSU. Also heard from my Austin friend that they're upgrading from the drum.
 
Never been to Norman; so, I am talking out my arse (which is standard form here), but all things being equal (and maybe OU will make an offer that Altman can't refuse), yes I perceive Eugene, Oregon as the better option over Norman.
 
Oklahoma has tornados, sure, but Oregon - yikes... (long read)

When the next very big earthquake hits, the northwest edge of the continent, from California to Canada and the continental shelf to the Cascades, will drop by as much as six feet and rebound thirty to a hundred feet to the west—losing, within minutes, all the elevation and compression it has gained over centuries. Some of that shift will take place beneath the ocean, displacing a colossal quantity of seawater. (Watch what your fingertips do when you flatten your hand.) The water will surge upward into a huge hill, then promptly collapse. One side will rush west, toward Japan. The other side will rush east, in a seven-hundred-mile liquid wall that will reach the Northwest coast, on average, fifteen minutes after the earthquake begins. By the time the shaking has ceased and the tsunami has receded, the region will be unrecognizable. Kenneth Murphy, who directs FEMA’s Region X, the division responsible for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska, says, “Our operating assumption is that everything west of Interstate 5 will be toast.”

In the Pacific Northwest, the area of impact will cover some hundred and forty thousand square miles, including Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, Salem (the capital city of Oregon), Olympia (the capital of Washington), and some seven million people. When the next full-margin rupture happens, that region will suffer the worst natural disaster in the history of North America, outside of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, which killed upward of a hundred thousand people. By comparison, roughly three thousand people died in San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake. Almost two thousand died in Hurricane Katrina. Almost three hundred died in Hurricane Sandy. FEMA projects that nearly thirteen thousand people will die in the Cascadia earthquake and tsunami. Another twenty-seven thousand will be injured, and the agency expects that it will need to provide shelter for a million displaced people, and food and water for another two and a half million. “This is one time that I’m hoping all the science is wrong, and it won’t happen for another thousand years,” Murphy says.
 
ESPN is reporting IU tried to get Stevens and Holtmann. This shows the irrationality of their search. Stevens wasn't leaving the Celtics mid-season. I wonder how many current coaches in P6 have moved directly from one top school to another top school in their own conference without another stop in between and without having been an alum.

IU reached out to Stevens knowing it was a long shot but well worth the effort. After that, they had informal conversations to gauge the interest of a few people (including Holtmann), before focusing on Woodson. Holtmann wants an extension and pushed the story of Indiana's interest but the behind the scenes feelers never got to the point of an interview.
 
That number has been insane for a decade or more. Thank God, CA doesn't have as many.

Oklahoma may want to consider an "earthquake homeowners insurance coverage allowance" as part of any offer to HC candidates. That is the kind of contractual employment benefit that could really seal the deal for a good coach...on top of good dental (with orthodontics!) and vision coverage, of course.
 
 
Back
Top