Through the Phog
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Bill Self: If He Left, Who Could Replace Him?

By Ryan Noel

Mar 31, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self speaks to media during a press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self speaks to media during a press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 10, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta cheers on his team in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall. The Indiana Hoosiers beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 85-60. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta cheers on his team in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall. The Indiana Hoosiers beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 85-60. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Thad Matta – Ohio State

Probably one that won’t get mentioned as much, but one we feel would be a good fit is Thad Matta. Matta is a coach with an excellent track record that would translate right away in Lawrence.

Pros

Matta has an elite coaching record that includes 8 regular season conference championships at Butler, Xavier, and Ohio State. In that same span, he’s been to one National Championship game, 2 Final Fours, 4 Elite Eights, and 6 Sweet Sixteens. His conference record is outstanding, too, as he’s only had one season at .500 (his first at Ohio State, where they were under NCAA sanctions).

Of the coaches mentioned so far in this list, he’s the best recruiter by a longshot. At Ohio State, Matta has routinely brought in elite classes filled with the likes of Greg Oden, Mike Conley, LaQuinton Ross, D’Angelo Russell, Aaron Craft, and more. He has also proven he can recruit nationally at Ohio State, something that he would need to do in Kansas.

Cons

Since a run of 4 straight Sweet Sixteens 2009-2013, the Buckeyes have struggled the past few seasons in the Big 10. In fact, their conference finish has been progressively worse for three straight years, finishing 5th, 6th, and 7th respectively.

There are no connections to Kansas at all for Matta, as far as we can tell. This might be a big hurdle for donors and decision-makers in the athletic department, as they will all likely prefer to find someone with a strong understanding of Kansas’ history and traditions. Hiring Matta would signify a the first venture outside of the legendary Kansas umbrella.

Verdict

Matta would seem to be a great fit from a coaching, personality, and recruiting perspective. However, with no real link to Kansas or its history, it’s hard to imagine he’d be one of the first names that comes up. Still we think he’s someone that would be well worth the look.

Next: Fred Hoiberg

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