Rivals Roundtable: Opinions on Matta's ouster at Ohio State
MORE OHIO STATE: BuckeyeGrove.com breakdown | Bossi's takeaways | Who's next in Columbus? | Yahoo Sports: Matta's downfall
Thad Matta is out after 13 seasons as Ohio State's basketball coach. Rivals.com analysts Eric Bossi and Corey Evans tackle three questions surrounding Monday's announcement.
1. Which schools benefit most in recruiting from the coaching turnover at Ohio State?
Eric Bossi: A lot of how this goes will depend on who is hired to replace Matta. Ohio State recruiting has been slipping for a few years now. Take for example four-star Kyle Young from 2017 who picked Butler. He's the type of kid Ohio State should be unbeatable on. I think Butler could continue to see some benefits but Michigan State and Michigan – two schools that have done well in Ohio – seem to be poised to benefit the most if the Buckeyes can't find somebody who can turn around the downward recruiting trend.
Corey Evans: Michigan, Michigan State and Xavier, three schools that have enjoyed much success in the state of Ohio, could reap even more rewards in the future. Indiana may be the darkhorse though as, thanks to its proximity to Ohio, the pedigree of the program itself and the new coaching staff's experience recruiting the state of Ohio, the Hoosiers could be in line to nab a few of the top Buckeye State natives.
2. What specifically has Matta been unable to do in recent years in recruiting that led to the decline in OSU hoops?
Eric Bossi: A lot of it has to do with his health limiting him in recruiting. He hasn't been able to be out on the road as much and from speaking with some recruits who have visited Ohio State in the past couple of years, Matta has been relying a lot on assistants to build the relationships. That's fine, but that had been continuing on visits and recruits have reported to me that they had pretty limited time with Matta during visits. I think that had really started to hurt them.
Corey Evans: While recruiting has taken a hit in recent years, it comes back to the continuity within the program. Just two of the five members of their 2015 recruiting class remained with the team past one year and none are still in Columbus. Getting back to the basics and finding more than just talent but the right fit and players that can buy-in could be seen as the primary downfall.
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3. On a scale of 1-10, where would you rank Ohio State on being a good head coaching job in college basketball and why?
Eric Bossi: Personally, I would rank Ohio State as a nine on the scale of 1-10. To me it is arguably a top 10 job in the country. You have a good local recruiting base, a recognized brand and all of the facilities and resources that you could ever need. Some people think Ohio State is a football school and surely it is much more of a football school than a hoops school. But, the tradition in basketball is there and the fans will be back in droves for somebody who can get some excitement going with the program. The timing of the opening is a bit awkward, but it should be a very attractive job and one for which OSU should be able to find a pretty accomplished coach.
Corey Evans: I would have to give it a nine. Sure, it's a football school but it is also one of the largest state universities, has a great fan base, modern facilities and a locale that is chock full of tip-top talent, prospects that grow up hoping to grace a Buckeyes uniform.
