Ohio State’s lost to worse teams. Several, actually, amid its 11 losses in the past 12 games.
But the Buckeyes had not been blown out by as wide a margin as they were on Sunday, nor had they put forth a worse offensive effort. In fact, Ohio State’s 14 first-half points and 41 total points in the 21-point defeat were both the program’s fewest since 1996. Michigan State handed Ohio State its sixth straight loss on the year, which is the longest streak any Buckeye team has endured since 1998.
Criticism of Chris Holtmann has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, and now fans have historical markers to back up their fervor. But Tom Izzo, who Holtmann says has become a mentor over the past few years, thinks the Buckeye faithful should remain patient with their head coach.
Izzo cited the COVID-19 pandemic, NIL and increased player mobility as reasons coaches like Holtmann – and even himself – have endured struggles.
“I think we're all as coaches right now trying to figure out how we deal with the different things we all go through between freshmen and seniors and transfers. It's not as easy as you people would think it is,” Izzo said after Michigan State’s 62-41 win over the Buckeyes in Columbus. “Whether it's me, whether it's Chris, whether it's a lot of other people. And I think those freshmen are awfully talented. I know the class he's got coming in is as good or better, because they beat us on a couple of kids.
“If you look at the last three years at Michigan State, we were out the first round, we were out in the second round. You know, we haven't lived up to our standards either. COVID has done a lot to a lot of places, a lot of programs.”
Ohio State’s current freshman class ranked eighth in the country in 2022, and while it’s been a part of Holtmann’s worst year in Columbus by far, Izzo is high on the group’s talent. He also referenced next season’s freshman class, which is No. 6 in the nation and includes three top-50 overall prospects, as a reason to believe better days are ahead.
Izzo said if Holtmann’s recent recruiting exploits weren’t as successful, more cause for concern would be warranted.
“I would tell fans, be a little patient. If the recruiting quit going and this and that, I guess I'd be a little more upset. But I do think he's a good coach,” Izzo said. “He's not my best friend. I'm not sticking up for my brother. I'm sticking up for coaches, because I don't think anybody has any idea how difficult this is. And I'm glad you said fans, because I'm sure our fans aren't real happy with me either. And I understand that. I mean, I built the monster. I'm trying to feed the damn thing. And there's a lot of reasons for a lot of things. And hopefully we get through this year, and now the COVID stuff gets over so we know who everybody has. I think the transfer stuff will get worse. I really do. And so we're all going to – he knows. I know. I got my big boy pants on. I know what expectations are.”
While Michigan State managed to blow the Buckeyes out on their home floor Sunday, Izzo pointed out the close nature of several of Ohio State’s losses. The Buckeyes have been beaten by single-digit margins in nine of the past 12 contests, and Izzo said that sometimes there’s not much difference in a team’s performance in a close win versus a close loss.
“I would tell fans, be a little patient. If the recruiting quit going and this and that, I guess I'd be a little more upset. But I do think he's a good coach.”– Tom Izzo on Holtmann
“This was the first game where there was really a letdown at the end. They had Purdue beat. So did we, nobody cared,” Izzo said. “They've been in games, dogfights right down to the end, so have we. So if you really look at it, I know it's win at all costs. I do understand that. But just think about it. You lose by one and you're a dog, and you win by one and your team probably played the same. And that's what's difficult right now in our profession. But listen, he's had two great recruiting classes. I think he'll rally those freshmen and it's just hard to mix everybody together. That's what I think. But I also think they've lost like nine games and it's all been close. And sometimes that's what happens with young freshmen point guards and things like that. With A.J. (Hoggard), his first two years, that's the way it was.
“So anyway, I hope people are a little patient with all of us, and yet I understand the job.”
In modern college basketball, roster construction is not just limited to recruiting high school talent. Holtmann’s been no stranger to the transfer portal in his Ohio State tenure, but Sean McNeil, Isaac Likekele and Tanner Holden entered the weekend averaging just 17.3 points per game between the three of them. And they haven’t been the only Holtmann transfer additions to underwhelm over the past few years.
Between frequent transfers and early NBA draft declarations, Izzo said increased player movement is one of the biggest challenges to overcome as a college head coach. Whether a coach is too active in the transfer portal or not active enough, Izzo said they’ll be criticized if success doesn’t follow.
“When you're sitting there at the end of the year, you're thinking somebody might go pro, somebody might transfer, somebody might give up his sixth year. What do I do? Who do I get?” Izzo said. “And this is one of the problems that I've said. I've been on every committee. Everybody thinks this is great for the freedom of the kids, and all of the sudden maybe got too many guys, and then you want to blame the coach for that. … If you win, you did the right thing. And if you lose, you did the wrong thing.”
As of late, though, the Buckeyes have done a whole lot of losing, and even the words of a college basketball coaching legend aren’t likely to have a calming effect on the Ohio State fan base.
