For the second time in as many nights, ESPN is reporting that Ohio State has a favorite for its vacant head coaching position for the men’s basketball program.
Wednesday night, it was Creighton’s Greg McDermott, who was reported to have been offered the job, but would later make a statement that he wasn’t going anywhere. Thursday, the new favorite according to ESPN is Butler’s Chris Holtmann.
IndyStar is also reporting that Holtmann is currently in talks with Ohio State to become its next head coach.
Holtmann (45) has been the head coach at Butler for three seasons and has a record of 70-31 (.693) with the Bulldogs. He was also the head coach at Gardner-Webb for three seasons, where he compiled a 44-54 overall record, though his final season saw his team go 21-13 and make the CIT.
With Butler, he has guided his teams to the NCAA Tournament all three seasons, winning first-round games each year. This past season, the Bulldogs made it to the Sweet 16 before falling to No. 1-seed North Carolina 92-80.
He spent two seasons as an assistant at Ohio University before leaving for Gardiner-Webb. He then left his position as the head coach at Gardiner-Webb for an assistant coaching position at Butler. When then-head coach Brandon Miller took a leave of absence for medical reasons, Holtmann became the interim head coach and was named permanent head coach halfway through the 2014-2015 season.
Holtmann was responsible for signing the best recruiting class in Butler history in 2016 and is known as a talented recruiter.
