We’re going to ask you to go back in your memory banks just a wee bit. It was June of 2017 and suddenly and unexpectedly, Ohio State and head basketball coach Thad Matta parted ways, citing the rationale that it was just time (we’re paraphrasing).
The timing was not ideal because the coaching carousel had already sputtered and stopped at that point in time meaning most of the hot commodities when it came to young and upcoming college coaches had been swooped up by athletic directors anxious to save their own knecks.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith was then forced to go on a Lord of the Rings type of coaching journey to try and lure an established coach away from another program. Several names entered the fray, but it became clear that Butler’s Chris Holtmann was the main target and the two eventually reached an agreement for him to become the next head coach in Columbus on June 9.
Many were distraught at losing out on Dayton’s Archie Miller, who was hired by Indiana just after the end of the 2016-17 season, but we all know how that ended up playing out.
So, now that we’ve had one full recruiting cycle to judge the hirings of the 2017 offseason, CBS Sports published a ranking of the best hires in college basketball with Holtmann being a part of that population with guys like Miller, Brad Underwood of Illinois, Oklahoma State’s Mike Boynton, Patrick Ewing of Georgetown, and more.
You might be surprised where Matt Norlander has Holtmann among all the coaches hired in 2017. There’s no doubt he has to be near the top, but where exactly?
NEXT … Where CBS Sports ranks Holtmann of the 2017 hires
Chris Holtmann – No. 1 hire in 2017
What Norlander says about Holtmann
“The closest candidate to A-level, Holtmann has to get dinged due to losing to No. 15 seed Oral Roberts in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes are 87-43 (.669) in four seasons under Holtmann, who has a quality 46-32 record in the Big Ten (highest finish: second, in his first season). He’s had an NCAA Tournament-level team every season since he arrived; he’s the only coach on this list of which that’s true, which is why he’s ranked highest. Holtmann hasn’t led the Buckeyes on a Sweet 16 run yet, though, and hasn’t won a Big Ten title. He’s the right man for the job, but there’s still room to grow. GRADE: B-plus”
NEXT … What we say
Chris Holtmann’s place among 2017 hires
What We Say
Illinois’ Brad Underwood probably has something to say about this, but there were some down years at first for with the Illini. No coaching hire has had the consistent level of success in a high-powered league like the Big Ten as Holtmann has, so it all makes sense. And while he hasn’t gotten the program to the heights Thad Matta did so quickly when he came on board, it seems to be building that way. More to come.
Either way, just by judging what’s happened so far since 2017, this is an easy choice. Hopefully, in just a few years’ time, Holtmann will be seen as an A hire by sites like CBS Sports.
