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Thad Matta out at Ohio State: 5 potential replacements

By Brad Berreman

Feb 4, 2017; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta points during the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2017; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta points during the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Thad Matta is done as Ohio State men’s basketball coach, effective immediately, so here are five candidates to replace him.

At a Monday afternoon press conference, it was announced Thad Matta is done as men’s basketball coach at Ohio State. Health concerns seem to be a the forefront of the move, but a drop in recruiting and the expected downturn on the floor also contributed.

Ohio State is obviously getting a late start on a search for a new coach, and athletic director Gene Smith suggested a national search would begin as soon as the Monday presser was over. Internal options would seem to move to the forefront in the current scenario, but any assistants on Matta’s staff are not necessarily the only options.

With that in mind, here are five potential replacements for Matta as Buckeyes’ basketball coach.

5. Jeff Boals

After serving as a top assistant under Matta from 2009-2016, and serving as an assistant coach at multiple stops before that, Boals took the head coaching job at Stony Brook. He’s actually only five years younger than Matta, at 44 years old, but Boals would fit the part of the criteria Smith cited to possibly favor someone familiar with the school and the program.

Boals may not want to leave his first head coaching opportunity just one year in, perhaps rightfully so. But the lure of the Big Ten and going back to Ohio State would be hard to ignore. At minimum, a call from a Columbus area code should be coming Boals’ way in short order.