1. It looks like it is going to be McDermott. The couple of folks I've talked to are adamant that it's happening, but I'm keeping my language at "looks like" because this one has quite frankly been so weird that I'm not ready to dismiss the possibility of the search taking another sharp left turn into another universe.
2. I want to re-iterate how ridiculous it was to make this decision in June instead of March/April. Did it cost them Archie Miller? You won't convince me of that, but you can absolutely convince me it has cost them at least one of the big names that have turned them down so far. Not one guy on the prime target list is in a worse position with his current job today than he was two months ago, just about every one of these guys became less likely to listen over the past two months because of the timing and/or events that have occurred in that time period that made leaving their current spot less desirable (looking at you Chris Mack and Shaka Smart).
3. But the worst part of this search has been the mad rush to make a hire. To wait 10-12 weeks too long to make a change and THEN decide to be in a hurry, is beyond head-scratching. You waited this long, wait a little bit longer and take your time. This 'we're going to hire someone within a week come hell or high water' stance is very puzzling.
4. None of my points really have anything to do with Greg McDermott. He's a solid coach, he has done a good job at Creighton and he's probably getting a bit of a raw deal right now from the fans who are understandably displeased with how this search has proceeded. I think it's possible McDermott could do a good job at Ohio State.
That still wouldn't mean this was handled properly, sometimes the process is handled poorly and the outcome still works out OK. And certainly there were several guys higher on the wish list that have turned this job down, perhaps doing some behind-the-scenes digging before canning the winningest coach in school history, in the worst month possible to do said canning, would have been appropriate.
2. I want to re-iterate how ridiculous it was to make this decision in June instead of March/April. Did it cost them Archie Miller? You won't convince me of that, but you can absolutely convince me it has cost them at least one of the big names that have turned them down so far. Not one guy on the prime target list is in a worse position with his current job today than he was two months ago, just about every one of these guys became less likely to listen over the past two months because of the timing and/or events that have occurred in that time period that made leaving their current spot less desirable (looking at you Chris Mack and Shaka Smart).
3. But the worst part of this search has been the mad rush to make a hire. To wait 10-12 weeks too long to make a change and THEN decide to be in a hurry, is beyond head-scratching. You waited this long, wait a little bit longer and take your time. This 'we're going to hire someone within a week come hell or high water' stance is very puzzling.
4. None of my points really have anything to do with Greg McDermott. He's a solid coach, he has done a good job at Creighton and he's probably getting a bit of a raw deal right now from the fans who are understandably displeased with how this search has proceeded. I think it's possible McDermott could do a good job at Ohio State.
That still wouldn't mean this was handled properly, sometimes the process is handled poorly and the outcome still works out OK. And certainly there were several guys higher on the wish list that have turned this job down, perhaps doing some behind-the-scenes digging before canning the winningest coach in school history, in the worst month possible to do said canning, would have been appropriate.
