Ohio State Buckeyes athletic director Gene Smith broke his silence on men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann.
The Buckeyes dropped their seventh game of the season on Saturday against the Northwestern Wildcats in blowout fashion. Following the game, fans took to social media to call for Holtmann’s dismissal.
On Sunday, Smith told reporters he was not ready to make a decision on Holtmann’s future, instead wanting the rest of the year to play out before making up his mind.
“We have a lot of this season left to play, and we have coaches and players that are focused on winning every day,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how this turns out.”
Holtmann has been on the hot seat with fans for a while now, as he has not lived up to the hype with which he began his time at Ohio State. The former Butler helmsman has driven the Buckeyes to the NCAA Tournament in four of his seven seasons behind the wheel but has struggled recently.
Saturday’s 25-point loss to the Wildcats was the 14th consecutive defeat on the road for Ohio State, and the fifth dropped decision over the last six games. In addition, Holtmann and the Buckeyes are now just 8-21 in Big Ten games spanning last season to now.
Things will not get any easier for Ohio State, as they will close out their January schedule against the No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini on Tuesday in Champaign, Illinois.
Holtmann signed a contract extension back in the 2022 offseason, which has him remaining in Columbus until after the 2027-28 campaign. Dismissing Holtmann early would be a pricy decision for Smith and Ohio State, but could be worth it if it means the Buckeyes return to their previous winning ways.
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