A buddy of mine and I were having a friendly debate about Thad Matta. He thinks Matta would never leave Ohio State because of the endless money, resources, and facilities that OSU has to offer. I, on the other hand, believe that he would leave in a heartbeat if a truly prestigious job (where he also wouldn't always be #2 to football) was offered to him, something like Kansas, Kentucky, Duke or North Carolina. Remember we're being hypothetical here.

Thoughts? Will Matta ever leave Ohio State for another job?

Yes.

OSU, although they have been very solid at times in basketball, will always be a football school. Matta is a great recruiter, imagine what he would do at basketball schools like the ones you mentioned above. I just think he would want to be at a school where basketball is #1.

You'd have to be pretty naive to think he wouldn't leave for one of those jobs if it "hypothetically" opened and he was offered. Too much tradition, prestige, and fan/booster support at those places. Oh yeah. He'd go.

First thing is first, and that is that money talks. OSU has as much as any other AD in the country, but they are not going to pay what a school like UNC or Kentucky would pay for someone that they desire.

I thought one of the few jobs that Matta would take over OSU was Indiana, but when that opened up Matta pretty much shot it down immediately.

I think Matta loves OSU, but one would have to be naive to now see some of the drawbacks, which include being second fiddle to football, poor student support, a boring Arena and not being one of the "prestigious jobs".

With that said, I don't think he ever leaves. He's not a high profile coach for whatever reasons and I don't think the big jobs like a UK or UNC ever call him. The only job that one could argue is better than OSU which I think would want Matta is Indiana.

I honestly think it depends what Matta achieves at OSU. At this point, he's young enough that he can still do well at OSU and still have a future. I don't see him leaving OSU soon, but after say 5 more good years, he might.

With Indiana stinking however, Matta has a lock on the Ohio recruits and can go into Indiana and get the top players while Crean isn't.

in a perfect world I'd like to think he wouldn't leave,but if the opportunity to go to a Kansas,North Carolina,etc. presented itself,I think he'd have to seriously entertain the idea--and I agree with Azubuike24 that what he's accomplished at OSU will be a big factor. After all,IMO,with money being a non-issue at any of these institutions,it's all about the challenges with Mad Thatta.

What people also fail to realize, and Matta has brought this up, is that he has two young daughters. He had stated, I believe when the IU job opened up, that after moving around so much in coaching already...that he wanted to establish himself somewhere for his family sake.
Money does talk, no doubt...and as long as he his happy at OSU, and OSU is doing what it takes to make things successful...I think Matta will be at OSU for a long while. What he has done in 6 seasons is pretty amazing when you look back at what he walked into. There was an article in paper within the past two weeks about how Eldon Miller having quite a bit of talent in his 10yrs at OSU, and NEVER winning a big ten title. Matta just won his third within the past 5yrs. Izzo only has 2 in the past 10yrs. And yes, I realize that coaches are now evaluated on what they do in the NCAA...but its still a heck of an accomplishment, and a great building block to be successful in a big time conference. I think its only a matter of time before he brings a national title to OSU.

centralbucksfan wrote:What he has done in 6 seasons is pretty amazing when you look back at what he walked into. There was an article in paper within the past two weeks about how Eldon Miller having quite a bit of talent in his 10yrs at OSU, and NEVER winning a big ten title. Matta just won his third within the past 5yrs. Izzo only has 2 in the past 10yrs. And yes, I realize that coaches are now evaluated on what they do in the NCAA...but its still a heck of an accomplishment, and a great building block to be successful in a big time conference. I think its only a matter of time before he brings a national title to OSU.

I agree 100%. When I thought Obrien wasn't a cheater, I didn't mind not going to the NCAA's every year because we were doing things the 'right way'. Matta walked into a mess and he has done a tremendous job. We are competing for a big ten title almost every year. I couldn't be happier. The one and done players that he brings in do cause problems when they leave, but even in down years we're still pretty good.

I don't think Matta has the same loyalty to OSU that Jim Tressel does, and I would not be surprised if he eventually looked for more prestige, money or bigger challenges. I'm really suprised that not many people have jumped on the band wagon this year and that the basketball team isn't getting more support.

Sorry but if I had the opportunity to go from a good job to a great job with an increase of salary in the millions, I wouldn't say no because of my duaghters lol

There is probably only a handful of jobs that are better.

Duke, UNC, Kansas and Kentucky are the 4 off the top of my head. After those 4, I think it would be hard for him to leave.

Would he? Yes.

Will he? No.

I doubt he ever gets offered on the the handful of jobs that is clearly better.

Duke, UNC, Kansas and Kentucky are the 4 off the top of my head.

The only school on this list that might be appealing to me is the Kentucky job. Cal hasn't had time to establish anything, while the others have had huge successes. Who wants to follow them?

If Crean were to fail at Indiana, who knows what Matta would do if offered.

Sorry but if think UNC, Duke and Kansas aren't appealing you are CRAZY~!

Sorry but if think UNC, Duke and Kansas aren't appealing you are CRAZY~!

They would be appealing if you weren't following coach k, a Roy Williams, or a Bill Self.

Look what happened to the hand-picked coach who succeeded Dean Smith.

Prescott wrote:

Sorry but if think UNC, Duke and Kansas aren't appealing you are CRAZY~!

They would be appealing if you weren't following coach k, a Roy Williams, or a Bill Self.

Look what happened to the hand-picked coach who succeeded Dean Smith.

Bill Guthridge and Matt Doherty were UNC hires coach/alum hires, not big name coaches. Doherty had some success at ND but nothing big. Thad Matta is on another level compared to those two.

How soon do you expect will Williams, Self, Calipari or Coach K to die?

Thad Matta is on another level compared to those two.

That might be, but I would not follow any of those coaches, especially Williams and coach K.

Big Gain wrote: How soon do you expect will Smith, Self, Calipari or Coach K to die?

Self and Cal will be coaching for a long time. Self at KU, Cal might be in the NBA soon.

Williams (I assume thats who you meant and not Smith) will probably retire pretty soon. K Im not sure on. He is getting up there in age, but doesnt seem to be breaking down like Roy is.

Its all about the $$$. Highest bidder gets their coach regardless of what school it is.

Roy will probably be at UNC for another handful of years, I don't think he'll retire anytime soon, but I do believe he's said he doesn't want to coach into a late age..

Thad has it made at OSU, there isn't too much pressure bestowed upon him as there would be at a place like UNC, Duke, KU, UK, etc.. but he has the facilities and resources that those schools have.. Thad has had some health issues recently too, so maybe he loves being in the type of environment OSU offers..

It's not like his recruiting is taking a hit. He's gotten a #1 class already and arguably another #1 coming in next season..

I could see him leaving, but it's hard to tell.

SportsAndLady wrote: Sorry but if I had the opportunity to go from a good job to a great job with an increase of salary in the millions, I wouldn't say no because of my duaghters lol

HEre is an FYI for you...OSU actually has GREAT tradition in college basketball. Certainly one of the top 10 in traditions. Yes, they lack the national titles, and it has been a LONG time. But in number of final fours, great players, etc, etc...OSU is a top ten program. And its only getting better now with Matta as coach. Will it ever be a UK, KU, UNC....doubtful...just as those schools will never be OSU in football. But make no mistake....OSU has great tradition in bball, and Matta is building on that.

centralbucksfan wrote:

SportsAndLady wrote: Sorry but if I had the opportunity to go from a good job to a great job with an increase of salary in the millions, I wouldn't say no because of my duaghters lol

HEre is an FYI for you...OSU actually has GREAT tradition in college basketball. Certainly one of the top 10 in traditions. Yes, they lack the national titles, and it has been a LONG time. But in number of final fours, great players, etc, etc...OSU is a top ten program. And its only getting better now with Matta as coach. Will it ever be a UK, KU, UNC....doubtful...just as those schools will never be OSU in football. But make no mistake....OSU has great tradition in bball, and Matta is building on that.

Uhhh yeah, that's why I said "good" and UK, KU, UNC "great"

OSU is obviously up there... but there are those handful of elite basketball schools that any coach in any situation would consider if they came up.

Is he going anywhere any time soon? No. Are there very many situations that would genuinely move him to pick up and leave? Nope.

But there is always that possibility of everything lining up for a shot to coach a Duke or UNC or Kentucky... is it slim to none? Sure, but if it comes up, you know he has to listen.


Think about football... there are a lot of schools that are perpetually good, but not elite. Their fans would think their coaches are content to never leave, but if a Florida, Oklahoma, Texas OSU, USC type job opens up, all of a sudden that changes.

SportsAndLady wrote:

centralbucksfan wrote:

SportsAndLady wrote: Sorry but if I had the opportunity to go from a good job to a great job with an increase of salary in the millions, I wouldn't say no because of my duaghters lol

HEre is an FYI for you...OSU actually has GREAT tradition in college basketball. Certainly one of the top 10 in traditions. Yes, they lack the national titles, and it has been a LONG time. But in number of final fours, great players, etc, etc...OSU is a top ten program. And its only getting better now with Matta as coach. Will it ever be a UK, KU, UNC....doubtful...just as those schools will never be OSU in football. But make no mistake....OSU has great tradition in bball, and Matta is building on that.

Uhhh yeah, that's why I said "good" and UK, KU, UNC "great"

Uhhh, and believe it or not, not everyone would be knocking down the door to coach at those programs as many would like to believe. All you have to do is look at a great school like ND to figure out not every coach, even the current best coach in football (Meyer), wants to caoch at the great schools.

centralbucksfan wrote:

SportsAndLady wrote:

centralbucksfan wrote:

SportsAndLady wrote: Sorry but if I had the opportunity to go from a good job to a great job with an increase of salary in the millions, I wouldn't say no because of my duaghters lol

HEre is an FYI for you...OSU actually has GREAT tradition in college basketball. Certainly one of the top 10 in traditions. Yes, they lack the national titles, and it has been a LONG time. But in number of final fours, great players, etc, etc...OSU is a top ten program. And its only getting better now with Matta as coach. Will it ever be a UK, KU, UNC....doubtful...just as those schools will never be OSU in football. But make no mistake....OSU has great tradition in bball, and Matta is building on that.

Uhhh yeah, that's why I said "good" and UK, KU, UNC "great"

Uhhh, and believe it or not, not everyone would be knocking down the door to coach at those programs as many would like to believe. All you have to do is look at a great school like ND to figure out not every coach, even the current best coach in football (Meyer), wants to caoch at the great schools.

Yeah keep telling yourself that LOL