Indiana cannot afford to whiff on this hire three times in a row.
Indiana men’s basketball head coach Mike Woodson is unlikely to return next season per reporting from Pete Thamel.
This marks the likely end of Woodson’s four years in Bloomington and the second time the Hoosiers’ head coaching job has changed hands in the past eight years, with Woodson being hired in 2021 and Miller being hired in 2017 following the conclusion of the inconsistent Tom Crean Era.
Indiana cannot afford to whiff on this job three straight times. It’s already wasted almost a decade on coaches that lasted a single recruiting class’s four years in college. The program needs consistency, now.
Here are some of the traits Indiana’s next head coach must have:
A modern offensive style of play
Note, this does not mean “all 3-pointers all the time”. Indiana can become modern without just chucking up 3s at the rim.
Indiana has, for eight years now, been bogged down by underwhelming offensive systems that have at times featured two bigs on the floor and a lack of floor-spacing. The Hoosiers haven’t ranked in the top-200 in 3PA/FGA since 2020-21, Miller’s final season. They haven’t ranked in the top-100 since 2015-16, Crean’s penultimate season.
Indiana has, for years now, been unwilling to answer the volume of 3s it has given up with attempts of its own on the other end of the court. That cannot continue with the new head coach.
The 3 has been treated as something extra rather than a weapon to leverage. Indiana has started non-shooters at one of the four or five, sometimes both, for eight years now. That kind of spacing is not conducive to winning in modern college basketball.
The Hoosiers don’t have to rank in the top-50 of 3PA/FGA. Just recruit shooters and leverage the shot as part of the offense.
Whoever coaches this program next has to bring it into the future in multiple ways, with the most important being the on-court product.
Strong relationship-building
Indiana’s head coach is one of the most visible and discussed public figures in the state. The job has something of a head-of-state quality to it between meeting with and corralling boosters, interacting with the network of coaches throughout the state, involving program alumni, leading the fanbase and more.
Whoever is in the job has should be in strong standing with those around the state of Indiana be they high school coaches, AAU organizations, local media operations and more. They should be visible at events and games to establish and maintain this presence.
The little things matter and add up. The image you project matters, especially in a state as chatty as Indiana and a job as high profile as Indiana head coach.
Some coaches have excelled in this respect while others have fallen flat. It’s an important part of the balancing act of the job and any candidate has to be able to handle it.
Strong identity
Whoever is in this job needs to know what they’re about and what their program is about.
The coach should be able to command a room. Which goes without saying, as a coach, but between the team, recruiting events and meetings with boosters Indiana’s has their hands full as a public persona more than a lot of other jobs.
Onto the program itself. For four years now Indiana has struggled with identity, a known strength to lean on through turmoil. For Purdue, it’s been how hard they play. For Kentucky recently, it’s been a modern and innovative offense. For Duke, it’s sheer talent and edge.
Indiana hasn’t really had that. Some, including the coach, have said Indiana emphasizes defense, but the Hoosiers haven’t been good enough on that end of the court to lean on. Is it the two-big system? Well, that doesn’t work either.
On the other side of Cook Hall, Indiana’s women’s program has become one built around strong perimeter shooting, finding the best available shot, tight defense and relentless effort above all else. “If you’re juiceless you’re useless,” Teri Moren always says.
Whatever that identity is, it has to work. Generate 3s. Play tough, hard nosed defense. Play through the guards. Find something and know what you do well.
A willingness to be themselves
Whoever Indiana hires doesn’t have to suddenly do a Bob Knight impression when they arrive in Bloomington. A new coach probably doesn’t want that and to be honest the fanbase doesn’t either.
Indiana isn’t waiting for a new Knight. They’re waiting for a winner no matter how they come.
The Hoosiers’ next head coach should recognize the program’s history and have a level of respect for it. Interacting with the program alumni is a must, those guys’ voices carry weight in plenty of places.
But they cannot let the shadow of what the program was limit what it can be. Indiana’s coach doesn’t just need that strong identity mentioned above, they need to hold true to it throughout their tenure.
Indiana’s fans are waiting for someone to show them the path to renewed prominence, no matter what’s on that road. Someone has to be willing to take the program there and do it their way.