Your guide to 2025 men’s college basketball coaching carousel
Spend on players or a buyout?
That’s the decision a number of college basketball programs face entering the final weeks of the regular season, with sources telling ESPN that athletic directors and school presidents at several high-major schools are torn between keeping their current head coach to increase the NIL budget for next season or making a coaching change.
The carousel has already started spinning with positions at five Power 5 programs open following the retirements of Virginia’s Tony Bennett and Miami’s Jim Larranaga; announcements from Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton and Indiana’s Mike Woodson that they’ll step down at the end of the season; and the firing of Utah’s Craig Smith on Monday.
Are those signs of a busy cycle? The aforementioned quandary will dictate the speed at which the carousel turns, but other variables at play are the transfer portal, NIL and the looming House vs. NCAA settlement. Some programs will look to speed up their timelines and get a coach in before the portal opens, while seemingly comfortable coaches could look to move on their own to land at a school with more spending power.
To prepare you for the next two months of coaching machinations and the accompanying rumors — of which there will be many — let’s take a look at the biggest jobs and names to watch on the 2025 men’s college basketball carousel.
Keep an eye out for our coverage of the next crop of mid-major coaches ready to make the jump next week.
Note: ESPN’s Pete Thamel contributed reporting.
Jump to:
Jobs already open | Jobs that could open | Jobs unlikely to open | Non-power programs to watch | Potential retirements to monitor | High-profile candidates to keep an eye on
Jobs already open
As soon as Mike Woodson stepped down, the perception was that Indiana would first pursue Brad Stevens and Dusty May. Not long after, Stevens publicly distanced himself from the job and May signed a new contract at Michigan.
So where do the Hoosiers turn next? There has been talk since the early days of the search that they could target UCLA’s Mick Cronin and Baylor’s Scott Drew, although Cronin has an eight-figure buyout and Drew turned down Kentucky and Louisville last year.
One potentially intriguing option is Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger, who recently signed a contract extension that lowered his buyout from north of $15 million to around $4 million. Whether he is interested in leaving Ames for Bloomington is a different question, but he’s arguably the best viable candidate who doesn’t have a steep buyout. Should Otzelberger decline and Indiana opt not to spend $10 million to $15 million to buy out a coach’s contract, this search could move on to a tier that includes the likes of Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams and Creighton’s Greg McDermott.
This one is clearly trending in the direction of Duke assistant Jai Lucas. As reported Saturday, Lucas has emerged as the focus of Miami’s search and the two sides have been in talks. The job had not been formally offered as of reporting over the weekend, but it’s clear Lucas is the top target, and the deal should progress on a more traditional timeline.
Check out the stats behind Craig Smith’s firing at Utah men’s basketball.
Utah made the surprising move to fire Craig Smith on Monday, just one week after the Utes beat Kansas and Kansas State in back-to-back games. But Smith has gone to zero NCAA tournaments during his four seasons at Utah, and while the timing was strange, Smith was clearly on the hot seat entering the season. It’s too early to really dive into names, but UC San Diego’s Eric Olen, Colorado State’s Niko Medved, South Dakota State’s Eric Henderson, Boise State’s Leon Rice and UC Irvine’s Russell Turner could get a look. NBA assistants Alex Jensen (Dallas Mavericks) and Johnnie Bryant (Cleveland Cavaliers) were linked to the job when Smith was hired. It seems unlikely the Utes would go down the Utah State route again and pursue current Aggies head coach Jerrod Calhoun.
This one has been fairly quiet since Tony Bennett abruptly announced his retirement in late October. Ron Sanchez took over on an interim basis, but the Cavaliers are trending toward their first sub-.500 season since Bennett’s initial campaign in 2009-10.
Ryan Odom was the first logical name to emerge as an option. He has been a winner at three programs and famously led UMBC to the NCAA tournament’s first-ever 16-seed upset of a 1-seed in 2018 against Virginia. Odom could have other landing spots to choose from, however.
Another candidate generating buzz in recent weeks is New Mexico’s Richard Pitino, whose Lobos look likely to win the Mountain West and go dancing for the second straight season.
There are a couple of schools of thought as to which way Florida State will go for its next coach. There are NBA coaches such as Luke Loucks and Sam Cassell, two former Seminoles now on the benches of the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics, respectively. There have also been links to several mid-major head coaches, including High Point’s Alan Huss, Samford’s Bucky McMillan and Arkansas State’s Bryan Hodgson.
Missouri’s Dennis Gates, a former Florida State assistant, is likely out of reach. But one of his assistants, Charlton Young, could be an option.
Other jobs currently open or with an interim head coach: La Salle, Louisiana, Louisiana Monroe, Sacramento State, South Florida, Stephen F. Austin
Jobs that could open
ASU finds itself in a fitting modern conundrum: pay nearly $3.5 million to fire Bobby Hurley or invest that money into basketball. Hurley is the second-winningest coach in program history and has made the second-most NCAA appearances with three trips in 10 seasons. (It would have been four had the tournament been held in 2020.)
Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini has said publicly that reaching the NCAA tournament is an “expectation” for the program, a “minimum requirement” and “not a goal.” He also pointed to the onus on the greater organization for helping to accomplish that mandate.
It’s only Year 3 for Mike White, which leads us to believe he’s likely to get another season in Athens. But the Bulldogs have lost nine of their past 11 games heading into Tuesday’s matchup against Florida, and the wheels have fallen off what was a once-promising season that seemed destined to end with a trip to the NCAA tournament. White has yet to finish below .500 since taking over at Georgia in 2022, but he’s just 16-35 in SEC play. He would be owed around $7.5 million.
Fran McCaffery is nearing the end of his 15th season at Iowa, with the Hawkeyes likely to miss the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. He has been to seven NCAA tournaments during his time in Iowa City, including four straight from 2019 and 2023, but failed to get past the first weekend each time. Sources have pushed back against the idea of a retirement, although it would cost around $4 million for the school to move on from him.
West Virginia’s Darian DeVries and Drake’s Ben McCollum would be obvious candidates.
Ben Johnson entered this season squarely on the hot seat, but the likelihood of him being fired has fluctuated throughout the campaign. The Golden Gophers started the Big Ten season with six straight losses, but have won six of 10 entering the week with notable victories over Michigan, Oregon and UCLA. That said, this will be the fourth season without an NCAA tournament appearance or an above-.500 Big Ten record.
If Johnson sticks around, he’s expected to have more NIL to spend on next season’s roster.
The dichotomy in Hubert Davis’ North Carolina résumé is fascinating.
On one hand, he has gone to the national championship game, won an ACC regular-season championship, earned a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament and been to two Sweet 16s. On the other, this could be the second time in three years the Tar Heels miss the NCAA tournament. That simply cannot happen at North Carolina. But the Heels still have enough talent to hear their name called on Selection Sunday. And they do have top-10 recruit Caleb Wilson coming in next season with the program also announcing the hiring of longtime NBA agent Jim Tanner as general manager on Tuesday, so it seems likely Davis gets another year.
Porter Moser appears primed to get another season in Norman, especially after the Sooners picked up a massive win against Mississippi State over the weekend to boost their NCAA tournament hopes. The Sooners started 13-0, though they struggled recently. Oklahoma has yet to make an NCAA tournament appearance under Moser, though it’s also a program perceived to have one of the lowest NIL budgets in the SEC. Moser would reportedly be owed just shy of $8 million.
The answer to whether we’ll have a busy high-major carousel might hinge on whether this position opens given the dominoes that could fall because of a coaching change in Austin. Rodney Terry took over from Chris Beard on an interim basis in 2023, then led the Longhorns to the Elite Eight to win the permanent job. They went to the NCAA tournament again in 2024, but now find themselves in danger of not returning after a 15-point loss at South Carolina dropped them to 5-9 in the league. Terry likely has to make the tournament to keep his job, but the question remains: Would that be enough? He’s owed around $5.5 million.
A seemingly annual inclusion in the hot seat discussion, Johnny Dawkins signed a two-year extension last spring that keeps him under contract until 2027. But the Knights are headed for their sixth straight season without an NCAA tournament appearance and their second consecutive campaign with a bottom-third finish in the Big 12. There was some optimism early in Big 12 play, but a seven-game losing streak ended that. This could go either way.
Despite home wins over UConn, St. John’s and Marquette, Villanova would miss the NCAA tournament if the season ended today. If the Wildcats miss out, it will be the first time since Jay Wright’s first three seasons that they failed to make the NCAA tournament three straight years. That wouldn’t be great for Kyle Neptune’s future on the Main Line — the team is too talented and has too much NIL to not go dancing. Villanova is a job coveted by a long list of coaches at the high-major and mid-major levels. Neptune is certainly under pressure down the stretch.
Jobs unlikely to open (this year)
Despite BC heading for a fourth straight season without an NCAA tournament appearance, there doesn’t seem to be a huge appetite on Chestnut Hill to make a move on Earl Grant. The Eagles won 20 games last season and Grant is under contract through 2028-29.
After winning 22 games last season to earn a preseason top-25 ranking in the fall, Cincinnati looks poised to miss the NCAA tournament, meaning Wes Miller is yet to go dancing in his four years with the Bearcats. But Miller would be owed $13 million if fired before April 1 and $9.9 million after that.
All signs point to Matt McMahon being safe at the end of his third season in Baton Rouge. The Tigers have struggled, but he signed a seven-year deal when he took over due to the NCAA issues hanging over the program, and LSU is expected to dramatically increase one of the SEC’s lowest NIL budgets for next season.
It’s only Year 2 for Red Autry, which seems early for someone filling the shoes of Jim Boeheim, who spent 47 years on the sideline for the Orange. They are 11-16 overall, and 5-11 in the ACC, but won 20 games last season and have two top-35 recruits coming in next season.
There has been speculation all season about Mike Young potentially stepping down or the school making its own move to part ways with him, but sources have indicated that neither scenario is likely to happen in the next few weeks. Young is well-liked in Blacksburg, it’s a difficult job and there aren’t a ton of home-run candidates knocking on the door. Though the Hokies are going to miss the NCAA tournament for the third straight season, they went dancing in 2021 and 2022.
Non-power programs to watch
It has been 12 years since UNLV was in the NCAA tournament, with the Rebels poised to miss under Kevin Kruger for the fourth straight season. This one seems likely to open, as it’s still a job that appeals to a variety of candidates. The program has the location and the resources, and it should be a regular contender at the top of the new-look Mountain West in a couple of seasons.
Steve Prohm returned to Murray State in 2022 with high hopes, as he led the Racers to great heights previously, winning 31 games in 2011-12 and going 16-0 in the Ohio Valley in 2014-15. But they haven’t been able to regain that level of success during Prohm’s second stint, and sources indicate that a move could be looming at the end of the season.
The Hawks have won four of their past five games to move into fourth place in the Atlantic 10, with four winnable games to end the regular season, so this one could go either direction. Billy Lange’s team beat Villanova and won 21 games last season, then beat Texas Tech and the Wildcats in non-conference play this season, but consistency has been the issue for arguably the most-talented roster in the league. Lange is in his sixth year at St. Joe’s, but this could be his first season finishing above .500 in A-10 play.
Steve Lavin’s time with the Toreros hasn’t gone well. After an 11-20 campaign in 2022-23, they finished 18-15 last season to provide a flash of optimism, but they have cratered in 2024-25, losing 15 games in a row to sit at 4-25. Lavin is owed a decent amount of money, however.
Stan Johnson showed real signs of promise after taking over at LMU in 2020, finishing third in the WCC in the COVID-impacted season. He has had success in the transfer portal, but it hasn’t translated to consistent success on the court. The Lions dropped to 12-19 last season, and since a five-game winning streak led them to a 14-8 record earlier this season, they have lost five of their past seven games.
It’s a job that several high-major assistants — and some mid-major head coaches — will have their eye on should it open.
There have been whispers in recent weeks to keep an eye on this one. Keith Urgo led the Rams to a 25-8 season in 2022-23, his first year at the helm, but they haven’t won 25 combined games the past two seasons. They are 11-16 overall and last in the Atlantic 10 at 3-11, and Urgo was suspended for four games in January for NCAA recruiting violations.
Others to watch: Bellarmine, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Columbia, Drexel, Eastern Illinois, Georgia State, Iona, Lehigh, North Florida, Northern Illinois, Oral Roberts, Penn, Rider, St. Francis, Stony Brook, Western Michigan
Potential retirements to monitor
At the Power 5 level, there are some of the usual suspects.
Tennessee’s Rick Barnes and Oregon’s Dana Altman are annual staples in this section. Barnes is still coaching at an incredibly high level and, unlike other coaches from his generation, has embraced the transfer portal to find missing pieces for his roster. And Altman is guiding the Ducks back to the NCAA tournament, where he has won at least one game in each of his eight NCAA tournament appearances in Eugene.
There has been buzz surrounding Colorado’s Tad Boyle, but sources have strongly pushed back against the idea of him stepping down.
Butler’s Thad Matta is a name often mentioned for this category. He’s nearing the end of his third season with the Bulldogs, and despite making an appearance on the bubble last season, they have yet to reach the NCAA tournament, and they face an uphill battle to compete with some of the deep-pocketed programs in the Big East.
In the Atlantic 10, there has been speculation about Dayton’s Anthony Grant and Richmond’s Chris Mooney. Grant keeps an incredibly tight circle, but sources have said recent reports about a looming departure are incorrect, while Mooney has yet to inform people close to him of a potential retirement.
Then there is Harvard’s Tommy Amaker, who is not winning at nearly the same rate he did earlier in his career. The Crimson went to four straight NCAA tournaments from 2012 to 2015 and won at least a share of the Ivy League title in seven of nine years, but they haven’t finished in the top half of the league in the past three seasons and are 10-14 overall this year.
High-profile candidates to keep an eye on
Buzz Williams, Texas A&M Aggies
Never one to stay at the same school for very long, Williams has the Aggies headed for their third straight NCAA tournament — and has his best team since arriving in College Station six years ago. He’s likely further down the list at Indiana, but could find himself in the mix for Oklahoma should it open.
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State Cyclones
As mentioned earlier, Otzelberger is a logical option for Indiana given his recently restructured buyout that makes him attainable. But he seems very happy in Ames, with the Cyclones ranked in the top 10 and coming off two Sweet 16s in three seasons. There are probably not many jobs he would even consider.
Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Wildcats
Lloyd is a West Coast guy who is content at Arizona and has led the Wildcats to a pair of Pac-12 regular-season championships and a pair of Sweet 16 appearances. But it wouldn’t be a surprise if Villanova, Texas or a potential domino opening such as UCLA reached out to gauge his interest.
Chris Beard, Ole Miss Rebels
Beard will have Ole Miss dancing for the first time since 2019, but it’s unclear what jobs he would have interest in — and vice versa. He turned down Arkansas last year to stay in Oxford. Indiana is the obvious one, but it seems the Hoosiers are looking in other directions for now.
Mick Cronin, UCLA Bruins
Cronin’s buyout is sizable, reportedly $16 million now and $10 million after April 1. Could Indiana decide to pay it? Sure, but it would be unprecedented on the basketball side. Cronin has led UCLA to three Sweet 16s and a Final Four, but he has recently expressed frustrations about travel, the fans and his own players.
Greg McDermott, Creighton Bluejays
McDermott was mentioned briefly with the Ohio State opening last season, but he signed a new contract at Creighton. His buyout isn’t considered prohibitive, but he seems comfortable in Omaha after 15 years with the Bluejays. He has won eight NCAA tournament games in the past four seasons and has Creighton on St. John’s heels in the Big East standings.
Darian DeVries, West Virginia Mountaineers
It’s only Year 1 in Morgantown for DeVries, but he will be a logical name if Iowa opens given that he was born and raised in the state. DeVries could also be a potential McDermott replacement at Creighton after spending 17 seasons as an assistant to both Altman and McDermott. DeVries went to three NCAA tournaments at Drake and should take the Mountaineers dancing this season.
Chris Jans, Mississippi State Bulldogs
There were brief links to Arkansas last spring, but Jans returned to Starkville and will have the Bulldogs going to their third straight NCAA tournament. Could he try to get involved at Oklahoma if it opens, or perhaps get back to the Midwest?
Brad Brownell, Clemson Tigers
Brownell was a mainstay in hot seat columns for years, but he continued to survive at Clemson and is now thriving after leading the Tigers to the Elite Eight last season and a top-20 ranking this season. It’s unclear where he could go, although he is an Indiana native.
