3 Potential Replacements for Mike Woodson
Things were never supposed to be superb for Mike Woodson and the Indiana Hoosiers in 2023-2024, but nobody could have seen things going this sourly. Following an embarrassing loss at home to Penn State, it may be time for us to stop nitpicking the performance of these players and start evaluating the approach of this coaching staff. Woodson has only been in town for a few seasons, so expecting him to be among the program's all-time coaching saviors right out of the gate was never fair. However, a sluggish 13-9 run in the team's first 22 games has the cream and crimson hanging on for dear life in terms of their NCAA tournament hopes. With just 9 games left on the schedule, the Hoosiers will be on the road for 5 of those and 1 of the home slates is against 6th-ranked Wisconsin (who recently walloped them).
Would missing the NCAA tourney mean the end of the road for Woody?
It is a bold question to pose, but it is not crazy to imagine those conversations already being had behind closed doors. If they were to go a different direction, they will need to find someone with a track record built on success. With that in mind, here a few prospective candidates to replace Mike Woodson were he to be relieved of his duties in the not-so-distant future.
Pat Kelsey, College of Charleston
Kelsey is among the up-and-coming culture builders in college hoops. The 48-year-old shifted to Charleston in 2021 after nine seasons at Winthrop University, where he had been one of the winningest coaches in Big South conference history. He has built a reputation as a high energy players' coach with a lot of passion, and has amassed a career record of 234-114 (67.2 winning %) en route to 3 NCAA tournament appearances in his mid-major coaching career.
The shot-caller signed a 5-year extension about a year ago to remain in charge at Charleston, and the Cougars are off to a semi-solid 16-7 start to this season. There is no indication of Kelsey's interest in leaving, but if the Hoosiers came calling he would at the very least have to listen. It is only a matter of time before a bigger school gives him a chance to break out on a grander scale.
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