In a major shakeup for one of college basketball’s most storied programs, Indiana men’s basketball coach Mike Woodson will step down at the end of the season, the school announced Friday. The decision comes as the Hoosiers, mired in a stretch where they have lost six of their last seven games, appear destined to miss the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.
Woodson, an Indiana basketball icon who starred for the Hoosiers under Bob Knight from 1976-1980, will end a four-year coaching tenure that began with promise but is concluding in disappointment. After making the NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons, with a Big Ten second place finish in 2023, Woodson could not sustain that success.
Woodson and Indiana Mutually Agree to Part Ways
According to Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson, Woodson approached him on Wednesday to inform him of his intention to resign at season’s end. The 66-year-old coach described it as an “emotional and difficult decision” that had been weighing on his mind.
“During a meeting with Coach Woodson on Wednesday, he informed me he wanted to step down as our program’s head coach at the end of the current season. He said it had been weighing on his mind for a while, and that it was an emotional and difficult decision.”
– Scott Dolson, Indiana Athletic Director
Dolson emphasized that Woodson’s top priority was to have the focus be on supporting the players and coaches for the remainder of the season, not on him. The school expressed gratitude to Woodson for his contributions in navigating a transformational time in college sports and helping elevate Indiana’s stature in NIL and the transfer portal.
Indiana’s Second Half Slump Seals Woodson’s Fate
Hopes were high for Indiana entering the 2024-25 season. Coming off an NCAA second round appearance, the Hoosiers landed several coveted transfers and opened the year ranked 17th in the AP poll. But the optimism faded quickly.
Lopsided early losses to Louisville and Gonzaga raised red flags. And while Indiana temporarily stabilized, winning nine of ten, the wheels have completely fallen off in the last month. The Hoosiers have plummeted out of the Top 25 and now sit at just 14-9 overall and 5-7 in a rugged Big Ten.
In his most recent press conference following a 76-64 loss at Wisconsin in which his team trailed 26-4 early on, a frustrated Woodson publicly called out his team’s toughness and mental fortitude, or lack thereof:
“We’re just not a tough team right now. We’re not. Mentally we’re not tough.”
– Mike Woodson after Indiana’s loss to Wisconsin
Woodson Unable to Restore Indiana to Blue Blood Status
When Woodson was hired in 2021, there was hope the former Hoosiers star could restore Indiana to the consistent national contender status it enjoyed in previous decades. And while there were positive signs early, with an NCAA appearance in 2022 and a 2023 Big Ten second place finish, Woodson was ultimately unable to reestablish the program among the nation’s elite.
His Indiana teams struggled to sustain success within the meat grinder of Big Ten play. Last season, the Hoosiers started 10-3 before losing ten of their next 14 games and barely sneaking into the NCAA Field. This year, a similar script is unfolding, with a once promising season completely unraveling.
While Woodson brought several other Indiana basketball legends like Calbert Cheaney and Randy Wittman onto his staff in an effort to strengthen the program’s connection to its illustrious past, it never translated into the level of on-court success that rabid Hoosiers fans both expect and demand.
What’s Next for Indiana Basketball?
The pressure will be immense on the next Hoosiers coach to deliver in one of the most passionate basketball environments in the country. Indiana expects to not just make the NCAA Tournament every year, but to be in contention for Big Ten titles and Final Fours. Fair or not, that is the measuring stick in Bloomington.
Woodson gave it a valiant effort, but in the end, he was simply unable to make Indiana nationally relevant again on a consistent basis. The Hoosiers now begin another coaching search, hoping the next leader can finally push the program back to the top of the mountain in college basketball.
The pressure will be immense on the next Hoosiers coach to deliver in one of the most passionate basketball environments in the country. Indiana expects to not just make the NCAA Tournament every year, but to be in contention for Big Ten titles and Final Fours. Fair or not, that is the measuring stick in Bloomington.
Woodson gave it a valiant effort, but in the end, he was simply unable to make Indiana nationally relevant again on a consistent basis. The Hoosiers now begin another coaching search, hoping the next leader can finally push the program back to the top of the mountain in college basketball.
Whoever is ultimately hired faces a critical offseason. Job one will be hitting the transfer portal hard to restock an Indiana roster that looks increasingly depleted for the challenges of Big Ten play. Recruiting elite high school prospects, something Woodson struggled with, will also be paramount.
While Woodson stabilized Indiana after the disastrous Archie Miller era, he was never able to fully unlock the program’s potential. After four years of incremental progress but diminishing returns, Indiana is now betting that a new voice is needed to lead it back to the top of the sport.
The pressure will be immense on the next Hoosiers coach to deliver in one of the most passionate basketball environments in the country. Indiana expects to not just make the NCAA Tournament every year, but to be in contention for Big Ten titles and Final Fours. Fair or not, that is the measuring stick in Bloomington.
Woodson gave it a valiant effort, but in the end, he was simply unable to make Indiana nationally relevant again on a consistent basis. The Hoosiers now begin another coaching search, hoping the next leader can finally push the program back to the top of the mountain in college basketball.
Whoever is ultimately hired faces a critical offseason. Job one will be hitting the transfer portal hard to restock an Indiana roster that looks increasingly depleted for the challenges of Big Ten play. Recruiting elite high school prospects, something Woodson struggled with, will also be paramount.
While Woodson stabilized Indiana after the disastrous Archie Miller era, he was never able to fully unlock the program’s potential. After four years of incremental progress but diminishing returns, Indiana is now betting that a new voice is needed to lead it back to the top of the sport.
The pressure will be immense on the next Hoosiers coach to deliver in one of the most passionate basketball environments in the country. Indiana expects to not just make the NCAA Tournament every year, but to be in contention for Big Ten titles and Final Fours. Fair or not, that is the measuring stick in Bloomington.
Woodson gave it a valiant effort, but in the end, he was simply unable to make Indiana nationally relevant again on a consistent basis. The Hoosiers now begin another coaching search, hoping the next leader can finally push the program back to the top of the mountain in college basketball.
With Woodson on his way out at season’s end, attention now turns to who Indiana will hire as its next head coach. The school remains one of the most desirable jobs in college basketball, with a huge fanbase, recruiting base, and NIL resources.
Potential candidates being speculated include Dusty May, an Indiana alum currently coaching Florida Atlantic to a tremendous season, as well as a bevy of other high-profile coaches who may be enticed by the chance to lead a blue blood program back to national prominence.
Whoever is ultimately hired faces a critical offseason. Job one will be hitting the transfer portal hard to restock an Indiana roster that looks increasingly depleted for the challenges of Big Ten play. Recruiting elite high school prospects, something Woodson struggled with, will also be paramount.
While Woodson stabilized Indiana after the disastrous Archie Miller era, he was never able to fully unlock the program’s potential. After four years of incremental progress but diminishing returns, Indiana is now betting that a new voice is needed to lead it back to the top of the sport.
The pressure will be immense on the next Hoosiers coach to deliver in one of the most passionate basketball environments in the country. Indiana expects to not just make the NCAA Tournament every year, but to be in contention for Big Ten titles and Final Fours. Fair or not, that is the measuring stick in Bloomington.
Woodson gave it a valiant effort, but in the end, he was simply unable to make Indiana nationally relevant again on a consistent basis. The Hoosiers now begin another coaching search, hoping the next leader can finally push the program back to the top of the mountain in college basketball.
With Woodson on his way out at season’s end, attention now turns to who Indiana will hire as its next head coach. The school remains one of the most desirable jobs in college basketball, with a huge fanbase, recruiting base, and NIL resources.
Potential candidates being speculated include Dusty May, an Indiana alum currently coaching Florida Atlantic to a tremendous season, as well as a bevy of other high-profile coaches who may be enticed by the chance to lead a blue blood program back to national prominence.
Whoever is ultimately hired faces a critical offseason. Job one will be hitting the transfer portal hard to restock an Indiana roster that looks increasingly depleted for the challenges of Big Ten play. Recruiting elite high school prospects, something Woodson struggled with, will also be paramount.
While Woodson stabilized Indiana after the disastrous Archie Miller era, he was never able to fully unlock the program’s potential. After four years of incremental progress but diminishing returns, Indiana is now betting that a new voice is needed to lead it back to the top of the sport.
The pressure will be immense on the next Hoosiers coach to deliver in one of the most passionate basketball environments in the country. Indiana expects to not just make the NCAA Tournament every year, but to be in contention for Big Ten titles and Final Fours. Fair or not, that is the measuring stick in Bloomington.
Woodson gave it a valiant effort, but in the end, he was simply unable to make Indiana nationally relevant again on a consistent basis. The Hoosiers now begin another coaching search, hoping the next leader can finally push the program back to the top of the mountain in college basketball.
