Who could be Indiana Basketball’s next main coach? Likely (and unlikely) candidates

One of the biggest jobs in College Basketball – and what could undoubtedly be the biggest available this spring – took a significant step towards opening Thursday, with ESPN reporting that Indiana -men’s basketball coach Mike Woodson is not expected to return to Hoosiers ‘2025-26 season.

The high big coaching carousel has been tingling since the end of October when Virginia’s Tony Bennett suddenly announced her pension. Fellow ACC coaches Jim Larrañaga and Leonard Hamilton have been following in recent months when Larranga left in the middle of his 14th season in Miami last week, and Hamilton announced his departure at the end of his 23rd season in Florida State in the beginning of February.

But the expected vacant position at Indiana is the most notable of this cycle so far.

Woodson opened his Indiana Medications period with back-to-back NCAA tournament performance, where he finished in second place in the Big Ten in 2023. But Hoosiers have been fighting since, last year’s NCAA tournament is missing completely after collapsing midway through their big ten- Campaign and they are heading for a similar fate this season with a 5-7 record in conference games. They had top-25 expectations during the forecast after spending a lot of money on a talented portal class, but it has not translated into success on the field. Woodon and his staff then exacerbated the problem by missing at the top of the state recruiting Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) and Braylon Mullins (Uconn) this last fall.

With Woodson probably on the way out in six weeks, here’s what you need to know about which coaches could take the reins in Bloomington.

---

How attractive is the Indiana job?

And where does it stack nationally?

From a historical perspective, there are few programs at the same level as Indiana. The Hoosians have won five national championships, reached eight Final Fours, and their 1976 team is still the last undefeated team in College Basketball. But they have not come close to matching this level of success in recent years.

Indiana has not reached a Final Four since 2002, nor has it passed the first weekend in the NCAA tournament since 2016. The Hoosis have two NCAA -Tournament Gains over the past eight years, and one was a first four win in 2022 .

Indiana is not the destination program it once was, even for the prospects of the state as Haralson and Mullins.

And then there is the question of expectations. The fan base desperately wants to see Indiana return to her bright days as Bob Knight sat at the end of the bench and held Hoosiers nationally relevant every single season.

It didn’t take long for the tide to turn towards Woodson despite his status as alum playing during the knight.

But with the high expectations of this role, deep pockets come to the one who fills Woodson’s shoes – Hoosiers had one of the season’s biggest zero budgets not only in the Big Ten, but the country that does not show signs of slowing down. They should be able to compete for the best transfers in the portal that move on, a point of sale for athletic director Scott Dolson to utilize his recruitment.

---

Could it really be Brad Stevens?

Indiana will undoubtedly try to recruit Stevens, an Indiana native that led Butler to Back-to-Back National Championship Games in 2010 and 2011, before traveling to the coaching of Boston Celtics in 2013.

He was the dream candidate the last time the job opened when Indiana eventually turned to Woodson as Archie Miller’s compensation. A few months after the unsuccessful persecution – if you can call it a persecution – Stevens was promoted from head coach to the franchise’s president of basketball operations. Celtics won the NBA championship last season and Stevens was named 2023-24 NBA Executive of the Year.

But would Stevens really leave to return to coaching – in college, no less? It feels like a stretch.

---

So who are the next calls on the list?

Baylor’s Scott Drew was pursued by both Kentucky and Louisville last year and rejected both offers. Would he change his mind to leave the bears a year later? He has ties to the state of Indiana, participates in Butler and Coaching in Valparaiso for a decade, but he has been at Baylor since 2003 and has never proved eager to leave.

Bruce Pearl Has Auburn as the No. 1 team in the country, sitting on 21-1 and in pursuit of the first national championship in the program history. He checks almost every box: reasonable buyout, personality to revive the fan base, experience in the midwest, huge amount of success. But why should he leave the tigers now?

One of Indiana’s first call should be to Iowa State’s Tj OtzelbergerThere has been a huge job since arriving in Ames in 2022, which led cyclones to a couple of cute 16s – and now has them ranked in the top 10 nationally. His buyout used to be exorbitant, but he signed a new contract in December, which is believed to have lowered it.

Then there are two more obvious names – both with ties to knight – which have been strongly attached to the potential opening: Michigan’s Dusty May and Ole Miss’ Chris Beard.

May is a native in Indiana who was student manager for Knight’s Hoosiers between 1996 and 2000. He led Florida Atlantic to a final Four in 2023, but left the owls last spring to take over on Michigan after Wolverine’s signposted ways with Juwan Howard. Did IU already miss his chance with May?

Beard worked under Knight at Texas Tech and later brought Red Raiders to the National Championship as head coach. He has Ole Miss in the top 25 this season, but obviously has luggage: Texas fired him in January 2023 after an arrest on a household tax that was later rejected.

Then there are a number of coaches who have eight-figure Nate oatsFlorida’s Todd GoldenMissouri’s Dennis GatesUCLAs Mick Cronin and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd. It is also unclear what Shaka Smart’s The buyout is, given that Marquette is a private school, but he does not seem to be interested in leaving. And Chicago Bulls Coach Billy Donovan Nor does it seem realistic for various reasons.

---

Who are realistic candidates if the best goals say no?

Buzz Williams, Texas A&M: Williams has been successful on three different programs, leading Marquette for five NCAA tournaments, three sweet 16s and an elite eight; Virginia tech for three NCAA tournaments and a sweet 16; And now he has Texas A&M on his way to his third equal tournament appearance, as a top-three seed. His buyout is believed to be low and his time at Marquette would minimize any regional concerns. It is also likely that he would listen if Indiana called.

Grant McCasland, Texas Tech: McCasland has performed one of the best coaching jobs in the country this season, with Red Raiders banking on the door to the top 10 after winning seven straight matches. Like Williams, however, McCasland is a Texas inborn who has spent most of his coaching career in the state. He led North Texas to an NCAA tournament, a nit title and two conference championships and will be 2-for-2 at Texas Tech. A deep race in March could make him an even more attractive candidate.

Greg McDermott, Creighton: One of the best offensive tactics in the sport, McDermott has won at least one NCAA tournament game in each of the last four NCAA tournaments going to three sweet 16s and an elite eight over this stretch. Creighton also won a share of the Big East season in 2020 during his guard. McDermott signed a contract extension last March after his name was linked to Ohio State, but his buyout is not assumed to be high.

---

Any potential sleeping candidates?

I don’t think it will come that far but i wouldn’t be surprised to see drakes Ben McCollum involved at one point. He won four national championships in Division II and has led Drake to a 21-2 start in his first season as a division I head coach.

McNeese’s Will wade Has high-sized experience and is very likely that it will land a big job this cycle, but Indiana can be a strange fit.

Saint Louis’ Josh Schertz Had success in the state of Indiana State last season, won 32 games and constructed one of the most aesthetically appealing offenses in the country, but he would need to get Billikens for the tournament to have a chance.

And hey, Dolson found magic on the football line of James Madison when he hired Curt Cigetti from Dukes – what if he tries for the guy who was a basketball coach at JMU while Cigette was there? Mark Byington Has done a fantastic job in year 1 on Vanderbilt after leading James Madison to an NCAA tournament gain, but his buyout is probably prohibitive.