Chris Holtmann will not be Ohio State's head coach, sources told ESPN.
Holtmann was nearing the end of his seventh season at the helm in Columbus. The Buckeyes lost for the ninth time in 11 games on Tuesday with their 62-54 loss at Wisconsin. The loss dropped the Buckeyes to 4-10 in the Big Ten and 14-11 overall.
Holtmann has more than $14 million left on his fully guaranteed contract, sources told ESPN.
Holtmann led Butler to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments before Ohio State hired him to replace Thad Matta in 2017. He began his tenure at Ohio State with a 25-9 record (15-3 in the Big Ten) in the first year and backed up again. consecutive NCAA tournaments and won a tournament game each year. The Buckeyes earned a second berth in the NCAA tournament in 2021, but suffered a first-round upset against No. 15 Oral Roberts and then advanced to the second round in 2022.
However, Ohio State took a big step back last season, finishing 16-19 overall and 5-15 in the Big Ten. And despite starting 12-2 this season, the Buckeyes have fallen to second-to-last place in the Big Ten standings.
Ohio State's struggles on the road and in the month of January were well documented. The Buckeyes have not won a road game since January 1, 2023 and are 18-29 in the last six seasons in the month of January.
Holtmann began his coaching career as an assistant at Division III Geneva College and moved up the ladder before taking the head coaching position at Gardner-Webb. He led the Runnin' Bulldogs from 11 wins in his first year to a second-place finish in the Big South in his third season, then left to join Butler's staff as an assistant to Brandon Miller. When Miller took a leave of absence, Holtmann was promoted to interim head coach and then given the permanent position after just three months.
