Gene Smith, Ohio State senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation endowed athletics director, announced the hiring of Butler’s Chris Holtmann as the next head men’s basketball coach of the Buckeyes. Holtmann, who completed his third year with the Bulldogs in 2016-17, has agreed to an eight-year contract with Ohio State…
Butler’s Chris Holtmann was a name that was mentioned throughout the Ohio State search to replace Thad Matta, though it was rarely at the top of the discussion. Names like Brad Stevens, Sean Miller, and Billy Donovan echoed back and forth over the canyon, while mentions of Chris Holtmann rarely found themselves bouncing back.
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.
“Don’t worry, Gene Smith has a plan,” you were told. Nobody would fire Thad Matta after a single conversation without having somebody waiting to swoop in and save the Ohio State men’s basketball program. That would be crazy. You read the names. Billy Donovan! Brad Stevens! Sean Miller! Jay Wright! Get that trophy polish ready, boys. And get to sanding…
Thad Matta is no longer Ohio State men’s basketball coach, but the legacy that he left behind will remain forever. Matta coached 11 First-Team All-Big Ten selections, several First-Team All-Americans, and even a National Player of the Year in Evan Turner. There are other players who will always be remembered as well. The Buckeyes over the last 13 years created some…
One day after Ohio State fired head coach Thad Matta, 3-star swingman Justin Ahrens decommitted from the Buckeyes. Ahrens, a 2018 prospect from Versailles, Ohio, committed to Ohio State back in August, just days after receiving a bit of a surprise offer from Matta. He announced his decommitment via Twitter.
Matta could have lied to Smith during that conversation and simply told him what he knew his AD wanted to hear, but that’s not how he has ever done things. He was essentially sealing his own fate, and he was doing it for all of the right reasons. I asked him how difficult it was to come to the realization that it was over during that conversation…
On Monday, Ohio State men’s basketball head coach Thad Matta was fired by OSU athletics director Gene Smith. Matta had been at Ohio State for 13 years and leaves as the university’s winningest basketball coach of all time. The lack of recruiting was cited as a significant reason why it was time to make this decision.
On Monday, Thad Matta was emotional while talking about his memories of Ohio State and what the University has meant to him and his family over the past 13 years. Matta was fired by Gene Smith, though the former head coach will stick around to help find his replacement. Watch as Matta holds back tears while speaking to the media during a very emotional time for him.
COLUMBUS — Ohio State men’s basketball coach Thad Matta and OSU director of athletics Gene Smith met with the media on Monday afternoon to address the future of the OSU men’s basketball program. Gene Smith announced that after meeting with Thad Matta after the season he came to the decision that the program…
