OSU's Top Potential Head Coaching Candidates After Firing Chris Holtmann
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith finally saw enough as he announced Wednesday the school fired men's basketball coach Chris Holtmann.
The decision comes a day after the Buckeyes lost 62-54 to No. 20 Wisconsin, dropping them to 14-11 overall and 4-10 in the Big Ten.
Ross Bjork isn't officially succeeding Smith as the AD until July 1, but he'll be leading the search for a new coach. This is an opportunity for Bjork to set the tone for his tenure.
Poaching an established isn't something Ohio State has historically done.
Randy Ayers was promoted from within to replace Gary Williams in 1989. Jim O'Brien had coached at St. Bonaventure and Boston College before he took over for Ayers in 1997. Thad Matta (Xavier) and Holtmann (Butler) both came from mid-majors.
Perhaps Bjork bucks the trend. The Buckeyes aren't a premier basketball destination in the way they are for football, but money is likely to be no object given the amount of revenue flowing into the school.
The timing of Holtmann's dismissal also allows for the school to take a lot of time in weighing the candidates. For now, these three jump out from the pack.
Lamont Paris, South Carolina
The Field of 68's Jeff Goodman reported South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris is likely to be on Ohio State's short list.
Paris is engineering a major turnaround at South Carolina in 2023-24. The Gamecocks went 11-21 in his first season and have gotten off to a 21-3 start. They're higher in the Associated Press Top 25 poll (No. 11) than they've been in any year since 1997-98.
The 49-year-old also compiled a .547 winning percentage in five seasons at Chattanooga. He inherited a clear rebuilding job after Will Wade and Matt McCall each left the job two seasons in. By 2021-22, Chattanooga won 27 games and reached the NCAA tournament.
The five-year, $12 million contract Paris signed already looks like a bargain, and it's such a relatively low figure that Ohio State or another major program should have little trouble paying his buyout.
For the Buckeyes, his deep ties to the state are another selling point. Paris is a native of Findlay, Ohio, and attended the College of Wooster before subsequently coaching there and Akron among his other stops.
Paris is poised to either take a step up or secure a nice pay raise from his current employer.
Sean Miller, Xavier
Goodman also reported Xavier's Sean Miller could be under consideration by Ohio State.
The Musketeers went 27-10 and reached the Sweet 16 in 2022-23 after reuniting with Miller. A return to the NCAA tournament is probably out of the question this year thanks to a 13-11 record.
Still, Miller's résumé will make him an attractive target for a school in the Buckeyes' position.
Xavier made the Big Dance in all but one of his five seasons there during his first stop. His time at Arizona is mostly remembered by what the Wildcats couldn't achieve, but he delivered three Pac-12 tournament titles and three trips to the Elite Eight.
Perhaps the biggest question is whether the 55-year-old is waiting to take a job with a little more cachet than Ohio State.
Nate Oats, Alabama
Speaking of coaches who may not be all that eager to leave, hiring Oats would represent a major sign of intent from Bjork.
Alabama signed Oats to a six-year, $30 million extension in February 2023, and the school only a year removed from winning the SEC regular-season and conference titles before reaching the Sweet 16.
The Crimson Tide are 17-7 overall and tied for first in the SEC (9-2), so another NCAA tournament run could beckon in a few weeks.
With Nick Saban's retirement, Oats may not have to live in the shadow of the football team routinely competing for national titles, making his life a little easier. In terms of resources, they might not be much Ohio State can offer him that he doesn't already have in Tuscaloosa, either.
From the Buckeyes' perspective, they might as well try because Oats has shown he can not only recruit but also win at a high level.