2017 Ohio State Head Men's Basketball Coaching Search

[NFBuck]

Interesting comment in Gerdeman's write-up at the Ozone today:
I didn't see the report that OSU interviewed those three, and only those three, candidates, but maybe Gene Smith planned it all out like that.

That's entirely possible, and we'll never get the full inner workings of this process. But the facts that seem to be established are that he flew to Omaha Wednesday night to interview/offer McDermott. McDermott declines, and things turn to Holtmann Thursday evening. Logic dictates that McDermott was the initial target. Which is, um, questionable. I guess we'll never know for sure.

Perhaps Smith knew that it was going to take a significant commitment, both in salary and length to secure Holtmann, and that maybe he could get McDermott for significantly less. So that was his first choice.

 

[NFBuck]

A couple of key passages...

“When you look at his practices, they are so well-organized. I used to go up and watch and it was so much fun to watch because it was seamless,” said Rick Lewis, who runs the Phenom Hoop Report and is the father of former Bulldogs point guard Tyler Lewis. “They weren’t the type of coaches that raised their voices very much. They had a command of the team and practice. You’d watch and see how calm they were and you just had a good feeling about the whole situation.”

Each of his three Butler teams made the NCAA tournament. Each of them advanced past the first round. The 2017 edition twice defeated reigning NCAA champion Villanova in the regular season — and lost to eventual champion North Carolina in the Sweet 16.

His recruiting classes have consistently been ranked among the best in the Big East Conference.

 

[zincfinger]

That's entirely possible, and we'll never get the full inner workings of this process. But the facts that seem to be established are that he flew to Omaha Wednesday night to interview/offer McDermott. McDermott declines, and things turn to Holtmann Thursday evening. Logic dictates that McDermott was the initial target. Which is, um, questionable. I guess we'll never know for sure.

Perhaps Smith knew that it was going to take a significant commitment, both in salary and length to secure Holtmann, and that maybe he could get McDermott for significantly less. So that was his first choice.

I probably have not followed it as closely as you have, but I think all I saw to establish McDermott receiving an offer were a couple of "sources say" comments on Twitter, or something to that effect. Did you see something more substantial? Not that it especially matters at this point whether McDermott was offered the job first (other than how it may impact some peoples' perceptions of Gene Smith).

 

[NFBuck]

I probably have not followed it as closely as you have, but I think all I saw to establish McDermott receiving an offer were a couple of "sources say" comments on Twitter, or something to that effect. Did you see something more substantial? Not that it especially matters at this point whether McDermott was offered the job first (other than how it may impact some peoples' perceptions of Gene Smith).

No, that's all that seems to be out there. That's why I typed interview "slash" offer. But, like I said, we'll probably never get the facts. However, don't you generally interview your first choice first? It's been a crazy couple of days, with a satisfying (for me, anyway) end.

 

[zincfinger]

No, that's all that seems to be out there. That's why I typed interview "slash" offer. But, like I said, we'll probably never get the facts. However, don't you generally interview your first choice first? It's been a crazy couple of days, with a satisfying (for me, anyway) end.

Right, but if the whole "process" was, as I think Gerdeman suggests, a persuasion strategy designed to make the public more excited about the pre-existing choice (Holtmann), then you'd want to get the McDermott suggestion out first.

 

[NFBuck]

So, any chance Kyle Young follows Holtmann to tOSU?

 

[TooTall]

As close to a home run hire as you're going to get in the month of June.

 

[NFBuck]

So, any chance Kyle Young follows Holtmann to tOSU?

True, but the action of interviewing McDermott first indicates, to me anyway, that perhaps he was the first choice. Only speculation, as like I said, we'll likely never get the true "plan."

Anyway, thank God we're don't have a "Head Coach Greg McDermott" thread.

 

[MaxBuck]

The number of fucks I don't give for how this whole process "looks" to a bunch of Internet monkeys in their mommies' basement is pretty large.

We got a terrific young coach. We got him by the date Gene Smith said we'd have a coach.

I'm not going to try to convince anyone here that Gene Smith is a tremendous AD rather than being an incompetent boob. But he's a tremendous AD so far as I'm concerned.

 

[Oh8ch]

Three elements involved in evaluating GS on this - timing, process and result.

I am in the camp that was OK with Matta getting one more year until the events of April made the chances of success roughly zero. There is little question we would have been in better position if the "mutual agreement" had been arrived at in March. I am fine that it didn't happen then, but understand the position of those who thought it should.

Nobody really knows what the process looked like. McDermott was not interviewed first. Jent was. And Jent was never a serious candidate. On the surface there were some questionable events. But we don't really know how this played out.

In the end the only thing that really mattered was the result. I give that a solid A. Those who think the school that hired Eldon Miller, Randy Ayers and Jim O'Brien and lost a coach to Marlyand was in position to hire Billy Donovan or Sean Miller, or steal a coach from Indiana, are a bit starry eyed IMO.

Holtmann's resume is not as impressive as Matta's or a lot of other candidates. But everything you read or hear about him is top notch. I am happy with this result now and I would have been happy with it in March.

 

[NFBuck]

But everything you read or hear about him is top notch. I am happy with this result now and I would have been happy with it in March.

Same here. A lot of people will get hung up on Archie, but in reality, their resumes aren't significantly different. Archie does have the one Elite-8 run, but their resumes the last three years are very similar.

In March, Archie would have been my #1 choice, but it really might have been 1A and 1B with Holtmann. I would have been just fine with either choice then, and I'm thrilled to land a coach of Holtmann's caliber in June.

 

[OH10]

Three elements involved in evaluating GS on this - timing, process and result.

I am in the camp that was OK with Matta getting one more year until the events of April made the chances of success roughly zero. There is little question we would have been in better position if the "mutual agreement" had been arrived at in March. I am fine that it didn't happen then, but understand the position of those who thought it should.

Nobody really knows what the process looked like. McDermott was not interviewed first. Jent was. And Jent was never a serious candidate. On the surface there were some questionable events. But we don't really know how this played out.

In the end the only thing that really mattered was the result. I give that a solid A. Those who think the school that hired Eldon Miller, Randy Ayers and Jim O'Brien and lost a coach to Marlyand was in position to hire Billy Donovan or Sean Miller, or steal a coach from Indiana, are a bit starry eyed IMO.

Holtmann's resume is not as impressive as Matta's or a lot of other candidates. But everything you read or hear about him is top notch. I am happy with this result now and I would have been happy with it in March.

100% Agree.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out with Archie and Indiana, but it's clear they have different standards than Ohio State and a bit more cache on the recruiting trail due to their historical success under Bob Knight. I think Archie is a fine coach and I would have been good with him, but we're getting a guy who coached a former (very successful) mid-major program to strong success in the new Big East. He has more experience going up against teams like those these guys will see in the Big Ten. Recruiting will be huge for both. Let's see what happens. Should be (hopefully) fun.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

So, any chance Kyle Young follows Holtmann to tOSU?

the list of schools granting a committed recruit's release to the program that poached their coach ain't exactly long.

 

[NFBuck]

the list of schools granting a committed recruit's release to the program that poached their coach ain't exactly long.

I didn't think so, but I've seen it mentioned over on a Butler forum.

Incidentally, looking over their season last year, Butler beat some big dogs, and did unbelievably well against some strong competition. Listed with their final RPI ranking...

(48) Northwestern W 70-68
(66) Bucknell W 86-60
(42) Vanderbilt W 76-66
(5) Arizona W 69-65
(96) at Utah W 68-59
(13) Cincinnati W 75-65
(82) Indiana W 83-78
(45) Vermont W 81-69
(62) Providence W 78-61
(4) Villanova W 66-58
(32) at Creighton L 64-75
(27) Xavier W 83-78
(67) Marquette W 88-80
(46) at Seton Hall W 61-54
(32) Creighton L 67-76
(67) at Marquette W 68-65
(62) at Providence L 65-71
(4) at Villanova W 74-66
(27) at Xavier W 88-79
(46) Seton Hall L 64-70

POSTSEASON
(27) Xavier L 57-62
(71) Winthrop W 76-64
(34) Middle Tennessee State W 74-65
(1) North Carolina L 80-92

That's:
18-6 against RPI top 100 teams.
11-5 against RPI top 50 teams.
4-1 against RPI top 25 teams.
2-1 against RPI top 5 teams.

All with a team that was unranked going into the season and many against rosters with higher rated talent, recruiting-wise.

In one year, he beat the #4 team (Arizona), a team that spent much of the year #1 (Villanova) x2, an Elite-8 team (Xavier) x2, and 14 teams that played in the tournament. He went 6-2 against AP top-25 teams.

Anybody question his coaching ability?

 

[buckeyesin07]

Donovan/Hoiberg/Millers/Buzz/Frank Martin/Holtmann, in that order pretty much

Donovan, Hoiberg and the Millers were never coming. Buzz circa 2017 is not nearly as bright of a star as Buzz circa early 2013. You've got to be kidding about Frank Martin.