Iowa State Basketball Coach Will Undoubtably Be an Option for Tar Heels

The Iowa State Cyclones are getting set for their Sweet 16 matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers, but a recent move by the North Carolina Tar Heels could have an impact on them.

It has been a fantastic campaign for the Cyclones this year. Iowa State has been one of the best teams in the country and are now seeking a trip to the Elite 8. While all eyes will be on the health of Joshua Jefferson, the team has proven over the last two games that they can win and play well without him.

A win against the Volunteers would mean a lot for the program, and the Cyclones becoming a regular contender in the Big 12 has a lot to do with head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

Since coming to the program, Otzelberger has turned this group into one of the most consistent in the country and also one of the best defensive teams in the country. However, with that success will come opportunities for the coach.

With the Tar Heels recently firing their head coach, Hubert Davis, one of the most storied programs in college basketball will be seeking a new coach, and Otzelberger will surely be one of the people they consider.

Otzelberger Will Undoubtedly Be an Option for Tar Heels

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger addresses the media after a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Tennessee State Tigers at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

This has the potential to be one of the wildest coaching searches in recent memory for college basketball, with no clear successor for Davis after his firing. The Tar Heels were a strong team for most of the season, but the injury to Caleb Wilson really impacted the team. Furthermore, blowing a massive lead against VCU in the first round also likely contributed to the program moving on.

Now, there is going to be a laundry list of coaches that the team is going to pursue, and it includes some of the biggest names in the country. Florida Gators coach Todd Golden, Michigan Wolverines coach Dusty May, and Arizona Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd are likely to headline the search, but Otzelberger will be in the mix.

Key buyout numbers for North Carolina's head coaching search:

Florida's Todd Golden: $16 million
Arizona's Tommy Lloyd: $11 million
Alabama's Nate Oats: $10 million on 4/1
Michigan's Dusty May: $7.5 million
Iowa State's T.J. Otzelberger: $4 million https://t.co/nLRrTnK7GV
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 25, 2026

Due to his low contract buyout number compared to those other choices, he will be a real option for North Carolina. For Iowa State, this is going to be a process that they are unfortunately familiar with, as football coach Matt Campbell recently left for a monster deal with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Otzelberger has helped build up a really nice program for the Cyclones, and his being an option for the Tar Heels should come as no surprise. However, he will surely be laser-focused on the task at hand still.