Ohio State AD Gene Smith Reveals Decision Behind Firing of Chris Holtmann
Ohio State Buckeyes Athletic Director Gene Smith fired men's basketball head coach Chris Holtmann on Wednesday.
Speaking to the media after the decision, Smith emphasized that every Ohio State program is held to the same standard, regardless of sport, which ultimately led to the change.
"Nothing's changed. All of our programs have the same standard," Smith said. "The standard for men's basketball is the same. Be in the hunt. Periodically win the (Big Ten) championship."
Smith, on the verge of tears throughout his press conference, spoke about how hard it was to let go of Holtmann, who was in the midst of his seventh year with the program.
“I just felt, like, looking at the last couple of games, this team needed different leadership, so I made a change,” Smith said.
The Buckeyes have dropped nine out of their last 12, culminating in a loss at No. 20 Wisconsin Tuesday night. After starting 12-2, Ohio State has struggled to finish down the stretch of games, which Holtmann had been attributing to the lack of experience within the team.
Smith, however, believed the team needed a new spark of energy to help set the program back on the right track.
“My responsibility is to the program and to these young men who compete every single day," Smith said. “I just felt at this particular time with six regular season games left, Big Ten Tournament, whatever the postseason brings, that a spark of energy was needed.”
Smith said he wanted to give the men's basketball team "a shot" but needed something new from a leadership standpoint.
“The young men have played hard, they’ve given a lot," Smith said. "But the reality is the body of work over this last year, I felt, that they needed something different from a leadership point of view to give them that chance."
Interim coach Jake Diebler will assume head coaching responsibilities for the remainder of the season, and his first challenge will be a doozy, as No. 2 Purdue is scheduled to head to Value City Arena on Saturday.
"The runway for him is the best it could possibly be when you’re this deep in the season," Smith said.
However, Holtmann is not the only Buckeye on his way out. Smith himself is set to retire this summer, with his term ending June 30.
Smith indicated that incoming athletic director Ross Bjork will take the reigns on finding a new head coach, and while he may help guide Bjork in the coaching search, the decision will be Bjork's.
He said the Buckeyes need someone that will "fit our values, have to fit our culture."
