1. Tom Crean
If it’s a big fish Smith and Ohio State want to replace Matta and get the program back on track, Crean has to be a top candidate.
After taking over a big mess at Indiana, and a 28-66 record in his first three seasons as he rebuilt things, Crean led the Hoosiers to two Big Ten titles, four 20-win seasons and four NCAA Tournaments in a five-year stretch. But failing to ever advance past the Sweet 16, and an 18-16 campaign last year, which ended with a first round loss in the NIT, got Crean fired in March. Expectations for men’s basketball at Indiana seem to still be too high, with the glory days of Bobby Knight long gone, so Crean can be seen as a victim of that beyond any shortcomings he had.
Crean surely would like to coach again, it just has to be the right opportunity. A year out looked inevitable — until Monday, anyway. Familiarity with the Big Ten has to help his cause from Ohio State’s end, and the risk of lost recruits should be minimized with a big-name hire. But even if incoming recruits bail now, Matta’s back issues were being used against him to keep the Buckeyes from getting many marquee high schoolers. The recent product on the floor has shown that talent discrepancy.
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Crean should be the first, and only, interview Ohio State does to replace Matta. If he says no before an interview happens, they can then move down this or any other list of candidates to be considered.