The Mike Woodson era in Bloomington, Ind., is coming to an end.
The Indiana Hoosiers alum and former NBA head coach is set to leave the program at the conclusion of the 2024–25 season, the school announced Friday. Woodson went to the NCAA tournament in each of his first two seasons on the job after inheriting a superstar in big man Trayce Jackson-Davis. Still, he failed to advance deep in either tournament, and things have gone downhill since Jackson-Davis graduated. The Hoosiers went just 19–14 a year ago and suffered their worst KenPom finish since the second year of the Tom Crean era. And in 2025, the Hoosiers have been one of the bigger disappointments in the sport after a high-priced roster overhaul.
Who might be next in Bloomington? There’s no obvious candidate you can be confident would take the job, but few programs in the sport can match the resources the Hoosiers have at their disposal. Here’s a look at some strong potential candidates.
Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Why He Fits: Hoosier fans have clamored for the Indiana native to come home forever. He’s a no-brainer if interested.
Why He Doesn’t: Stevens is currently running basketball operations for the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. Leaving that job for a college head job feels like more than a long shot.
Dusty May, Michigan Wolverines
Why He Fits: May is a small-town Indiana kid who graduated from the school and was a manager under Bob Knight. He took FAU to the Final Four and now has Michigan rolling in the Big Ten in his first season. He’d provide a connection to the program’s golden age but with a much-needed modern approach.
Why He Doesn’t: If May wanted the IU job badly, it seems unlikely he’d have taken another job in the league last spring with the specter of Indiana opening soon looming. Staying at Michigan lets May focus on coaching basketball instead of all the off-court responsibilities that come with being the head coach in Bloomington.
Scott Drew, Baylor Bears
Why He Fits: Drew has won a national championship, which puts him in rarefied air among the sport’s top coaches. He’s the type of personality who can inject life into a program that desperately needs it. Plus, he has ties to the state as a Butler alum who got his coaching start under his father, Homer, at Valparaiso.
Why He Doesn’t: He turned down serious overtures from Kentucky and Louisville last spring to stay at Baylor. Until something changes, assume he’s a lifer at Baylor.
Chris Beard, Ole Miss Rebels
Why He Fits: Beard’s one of the best coaches in the sport. He took Texas Tech to a national title game and has Ole Miss rolling in his second season on the job there. Plus, he has connections to Knight, working as a top aid to him in Lubbock, Texas.
Why He Doesn’t: Hiring Beard comes with baggage. He was fired from Texas after being arrested and accused of assault and strangulation by his fiancee Randi Trew in late 2022. Those charges were later dismissed.
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State Cyclones
Why He Fits: Otzelberger has done a marvelous job at Iowa State, rebuilding the program from two wins the year before his arrival to a pair of Sweet 16s in the last three years and a chance for an even deeper run this year.
Why He Doesn’t: He just signed a contract extension earlier this season that could make landing him pricey … and even if Indiana can find the money, it’s hardly a guarantee Otzelberger would leave Ames, Iowa.
Grant McCasland, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Why He Fits: McCasland has executed remarkable turnarounds at every job he has taken, flipping Arkansas State and North Texas into winners before elevating Texas Tech into a top-10 KenPom team in just his second year there. He’s a really sharp X’s and O’s coach who’s great at adapting to his personnel.
Why He Doesn’t: McCasland hasn’t spent any time in the Midwest in his career. Plus, the resume is still lean when it comes to March accomplishments (outside of beating Purdue in the 2021 bubble NCAA tournament) to sell Hoosier nation on an outsider.
Greg McDermott, Creighton Bluejays
Why He Fits: McDermott has taken Creighton to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament three of the last four years. This year might be his best coaching job yet, withstanding several key injuries to have the Bluejays in the thick of Big East contention.
Why He Doesn’t: He’s already 60 years old and doesn’t necessarily possess the dynamic personality that might ignite excitement in Bloomington. He’s also well compensated at Creighton and could easily retire there rather than add the stress of turning around Indiana.
Micah Shrewsberry, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Why He Fits: The Indianapolis native has spent time in the NBA with the Celtics, went to the NCAA tournament at Penn State and is making some serious noise recruiting in-state now at Notre Dame.
Why He Doesn’t: The wins haven’t come yet in South Bend. The Irish are 10–12 this season after finishing under .500 in Year 1.
Ben McCollum, Drake Bulldogs
Why He Fits: McCollum’s Drake team is 21–2 in his first season there after winning four national championships at Division II Northwest Missouri State. If Indiana can’t land its top targets, hiring an elite basketball coach and hoping he elevates with the resources in Bloomington isn’t a bad bet.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Nine Candidates to Take Over at Indiana After Mike Woodson’s Departure.
