One of the biggest topics surrounding the world of college basketball was the head coaching job of the Indiana basketball program and Mike Woodson. There has been rampant speculation about if he is has been on the hot seat this season, which Michigan State basketball head coach Tom Izzo gave his two cents about the situation.
The Hoosiers and the Spartans faced off in each of their regular season finales as the former came out with a one-point victory, 65-64, last Sunday. After the game, Izzo would say that it is “a joke” that “somebody has got to stick up” for Woodson coming back next season according to Michael Niziolek of The Herald-Times.
“This great profession I'm in,” Izzo said. “Mind boggling to me that Mike has won 18 games in a conference, that's really difficult from 2 to 13, and somebody has got to stick up for him coming back next year? What a joke, what a joke, man. Administrators, what a joke.”
Woodson defends his job status with Hoosiers
Since then, it has been reported by ESPN that Woodson will in fact remain with the Indiana basketball program as it was also announced by the school itself. After the Hoosiers beat the Spartans, Woodson would express that when it comes to his time with the program, there “should never be any questions about the job” in terms of his resume and what he has accomplished.
“Should never be any questions about the job based on what I have done here since I stepped foot in Indiana as a coach,” Woodson said. “I'm not going to entertain questions about it because shouldn't be anything out there floating around about my job. I've done my job and I'm going to continue to do it.”
Woodson is 61-39 with the Hoosiers in three seasons where the team has made in two NCAA national tournament appearances. While the talk of him being on the hot seat started when the team at some point this season lost seven of their last 10 games and fell badly to teams in the conference, it seems as it will be Woodson's ship to sail come the 2024-25 season.
Woodson talks how long he'll be coaching
Questions from the media to Woodson about job security and the possibility of moving on from the Indiana basketball program was always met with disdain as Niziolek said that he would usually cut them short and defend himself. While at one point the head coach said he wouldn't talk about his job, Woodson answered a question about how long he wanted to coach as he is 65 years old.
“I came back to put this team in the best position possible, and I'm going to continue to do that,” Woodson said. “I'm almost 66, but I feel good. I still move around and I still think well, in terms of the game and I still think I can teach the game.”
“There are coaches coaching into their 70s, I don't know if that's something I'll do, but at this point I'll take it a day at a time, or year at a time, but I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, guys,” Woodson continued. “I'm just not. I'm going to continue to build this team and try to put this team in the best position possible and see where it leads us.”
The Hoosiers finished the regular season 18-13 with a 10-10 record in conference play. They now await their next opponent in the Big 10 tournament.
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