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High-Profile Candidate Surfaces for Indiana Basketball's Head Coaching Position

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Feb 22, 2025 12:53 PM ET

The Indiana Hoosiers are one of college basketball’s most prestigious programs, but their success has waned in recent years. They haven’t reached the Final Four since the early 1990s under legendary coach Bob Knight and haven't made it past the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament since 2015.

Despite this, the head coaching position at Indiana remains highly coveted and is expected to be one of the most sought-after jobs on the market this offseason. This comes after current head coach Mike Woodson announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season, despite having two years remaining on his contract.

"He said it had been weighing on his mind for a while, and that it was an emotional and difficult decision," Indiana Athletic Director Scott Dolson said "We have had subsequent thoughtful conversations about his decision and his desire to ensure that the program is in the best position it can be moving forward. At an appropriate time, Coach Woodson will articulate his feelings about his decision and his experiences these last four years."

Indiana has announced that Mike Woodson will leave the program at the end of the 24-25 season. pic.twitter.com/jdpGWlaGGu
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 7, 2025

Following Mike Woodson's announcement on Feb. 7, speculation about the vacant position has been swirling. While Michigan head coach Dusty May was initially mentioned as a strong candidate, he agreed to a long-term contract extension with Michigan on Friday, removing him from the conversation.

With May off the board, several other names have emerged, and one that continues to rise to the top is No. 8 Iowa State head coach TJ Otzelberger. "The Field of 68" analyst Jeff Goodman recently spotlighted Otzelberger as the ideal candidate for the job, further fueling the growing buzz.

"The guy to me right now, it's easy, it's easy, and that's Iowa State's TJ Otzelberger." Goodman said. "He's young, he's got culture, he's got enough of a track record... and his buyout is now significantly lower. The big question is, would TJ want Indiana?"

ICYMI: @GoodmanHoops on why he's all-in on TJ Otzelberger for Indiana

"He's young, he's got culture, he's got enough of a track record... and his buyout is now significantly lower. The big question is, would TJ want Indiana?"

MORE:https://t.co/ZimWYLt1WP pic.twitter.com/CAw1nl1RFZ
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 22, 2025

Since taking over as head coach of Iowa State in 2021, TJ Otzelberger has transformed the Cyclones into one of the nation’s top teams. Under his leadership, the Cyclones have made the NCAA Tournament every year, and they’re poised to continue that streak in just under a month when the field is revealed.

Otzelberger holds an impressive 91-40 career record with the program and has guided Iowa State to a strong 20-5 record so far this season. The Cyclones are set to face No. 5 Houston on Saturday, as they look to remain a top ten team in the nation.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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