Indiana basketball coaching search hot board: March 14

  • Mar 14, 2025 9:59 am
 

As Indiana awaits its postseason fate on Selection Sunday, the search for the 31st coach in program history continues.

While not in order of IU’s interest or the candidate’s interest in the position, here’s our latest coaching hot board grouped by tiers.

Candidates are listed alphabetically within each tier:

Read all of our coaching search profiles here: Dusty May, Scott Drew, Mick Cronin, Greg McDermott, Buzz Williams, T.J. Otzelberger, Ben McCollum, Tommy Lloyd, Brad Brownell, Chris Beard, Will Wade, Chris Collins, Darian DeVries

Generating the most discussion

Brad Brownell, Clemson

Brownell was on the hot seat at Clemson for years, but he broke through and advanced to the Elite Eight last season. He currently has the Tigers ranked in the top 20 of KenPom ahead of today’s ACC tournament semifinal against Louisville.

While his record isn’t elite, Clemson also falls short of a premier job. The school is laser-focused on football and only has fan support for basketball when the team is winning. That wouldn’t be a problem in Bloomington. Brownell would have the resources necessary to build an elite roster each season.

Here’s what Brownell, an Indiana native, had to say about the IU job when asked earlier this week, according to Greenville News:

“I’m not going to talk about potential jobs. I have a great job, and I’m 100 percent focused on this team and what we’ve got ahead of us. I’m trying to do everything I can to help us continue to win the next game.”

Chris Collins, Northwestern

Collins knows the Big Ten well, having spent the last 12 seasons in Evanston leading Northwestern. Collins has taken the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament three times, including back-to-back appearances in 2023 and 2024.

While not a sexy name, the argument for Collins would be recognizing his success with meager resources at Northwestern.

Could he win at a much higher level with IU’s financial commitment to the program? It’s Dolson’s job to figure that out.

Ben McCollum, Drake

With Jeff Goodman reporting Thursday that he’s emerged as a top candidate for the position, McCollum has no shortage of buzz right now.

He won four NCAA Division II championships at Northwest Missouri State before accepting the Drake job in the spring of 2024.

With a 30-3 record, he’s had great success in his first season at the Division I level. The Bulldogs will be in next week’s NCAA tournament as the champions of the Missouri Valley Conference. At just 43 years old, McCollum could be a long-term solution in Bloomington.

Greg McDermott, Creighton

McDermott regularly takes the Blue Jays to the NCAA tournament and is one of the top offensive coaches in the sport. He recently signed a contract extension, but there are reports that his buyout isn’t a major obstacle. Whether he would leave the security of the Creighton job at 60 years old is an unknown.

McDermott led Creighton to the Elite Eight in 2023 and finished in the top 12 of the KenPom rankings in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

This season, Creighton is 23-9 and will again be in the NCAA tournament field.

Buzz Williams, Texas A&M

The 52-year-old Williams made multiple Sweet Sixteens and an Elite Eight at Marquette and a Sweet Sixteen at Virginia Tech. He’s in his sixth season at Texas A&M and has the Aggies at 22-10 overall and in the top 20 of the KenPom ratings.

As a Texas native, would Williams be open to leaving the state? Even if the answer is yes, it’s unclear if his candidacy would have broad appeal to the IU fanbase. The Aggies are a below-average shooting team, grinding out games with defense this season.

Obstacles to overcome

Chris Beard, Ole Miss

As outspoken as many IU fans have been about their support for Beard, there’s been no indication that he is seriously being considered for the job.

In terms of coaching credentials, Beard has no shortage of them. He led Texas Tech to an appearance in the national championship game in 2019. Beard has the Rebels in line for a second straight NCAA tournament appearance this spring. His off-the-court history, however, is preventing him from serious consideration.

Mick Cronin, UCLA

A midwesterner now in Westwood leading the Bruins, does Cronin want to move back closer to home? He’s already led UCLA to a Final Four appearance in 2021 and back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances in 2022 and 2023.

The 53-year-old prioritizes defense above all else, and while his style of play isn’t exciting, he’s proven to be able to reach the NCAA tournament consistently. Cronin’s buyout, reportedly over $10 million, might be a dealbreaker.

Will Wade, McNeese

Wade, 42, rehabilitated his career after LSU fired him for NCAA rule infractions. An elite recruiter, Wade took McNeese State to an NCAA tournament in the 2024 season, his first with the program, and is back in the tournament again this season.

Wade, however, still has a show-cause penalty that expires this summer.

Keep dreaming

Scott Drew, Baylor

Recent reports have indicated that Drew is happy at Baylor and is not a candidate for the IU job.

Dusty May, Michigan

May recently agreed to a contract extension and has publicly stated that he’s staying in Ann Arbor.

TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State

Like Drew, Otzelberger is not believed to be interested in the IU position.

Category: Coaching search

Filed to: