Sounds like Ohio State’s AD is micromanaging the hell out of Ohio State basketball – from The Athletic:CatsbyAZ wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:44 am
"Chris Holtmann has started to take a lot more criticism from fans this season. It’s all justified too. He brought in a top-ten recruiting class this season and has done nothing with it. Not only is this team not getting better, they are actively getting worse."
“As the losses piled up…Gene Smith called Chris Holtmann into his office for a meeting…the Ohio State athletic director thought it was time to chat a little more formally with his men’s basketball coach.”
“Play the freshmen,” Smith told his coach. Holtmann understandably raised an eyebrow, double-checking that his boss understood what he was asking. Young is not the way to go in college basketball — not the successful route, at least. The transfer portal has allowed everyone to put their rosters in a near time machine, aging young teams with a few phone calls. Going young with intent is not merely going retro; it’s going rogue.”
At the time, Ohio State was 11-17, having lost 14 of their last 15. Following those orders to play the freshman, Holtmann’s Buckeyes won two of their last three conference games in addition to three games to reach the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament. But despite the season ending flourish and building roster experience to carry into next season, Holtmann might be bolting to Notre Dame, in which case, IMO, Notre Dame is making pedestrian hire to say the least.