While head coach Mike Woodson and the Indiana Hoosiers wait to see if they will get a few more games with their head coach in the NCAA Tournament, the Indiana fan base is turning their attention to the coaching search, which seems to be heating up.
There have been so many different names thrown around in Indiana coaching search, from Chris Beard to Brad Stevens to Dusty May to Bruce Pearl. I am surprised Indiana fans don't have whiplash from watching the coaching search at Indiana move like a tennis match on 10x speed.
Now, there are two candidates that seem to be hailing over the rest, and Indiana fans are split on how they feel about one of them. Clemson head coach Brad Brownell seems to be the top candidate, but the longtime Tigers coach spoke a little about the job in a press conference earlier this week, and it doesn't seem like he has any interest in leaving where he is.
The other coach to come up in conversations is Drake head coach Ben McCollum, who just led the Bulldogs to a Missouri Valley Conference title, earning them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Before joining the Bulldogs, McCollum won four national championships at the Division II level with Northwest Missouri State.
It seems like McCollum has really impressed Indiana AD and could be the lead candidate now the Brownell has made his intentions about the job clear.
Drake coach Ben McCollum has emerged as one of the top candidates for the Indiana opening and has really impressed Indiana AD Scott Dolson, source told @TheFieldOf68.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 13, 2025
McCollum, 43, has led Drake to the Missouri Valley regular-season and tournament titles in his first season…
Indiana fans are split on how they feel about McCollum. Some see him as someone who can come in and get the job done and, in a sense, be like Curt Cignetti, but others think Indiana could do better.
If Ben McCollum is hired you will see the first IU football and Notre Dame basketball fan. Guys a square, give me Will Wade or bust.
— Dawkin Hopkins (@DawkinHopkins) March 14, 2025
The fact that we are talking about being a Indiana football fan before an Indiana basketball fan is absolutely wild.
@IndianaMBB @ScottDolson I believe Ben McCollum would be a really good choice to be Indiana Basketball Coach. His team plays smart and does a good job on both ends of the court. Just my insignificant opinion for whatever it may be worth. Good Luck with the search.
— Michael Davis (@mdavis0191) March 14, 2025
That is a very polite way to put it, honestly.
I want Ben McCollum to coach the Hoosiers
— Densley (@devon_hensley) March 14, 2025
Short and sweet and to the point, no sugarcoating it here.
Ya gotta think Ben McCollum would be a great hire for #IUBB. Especially if Dolson also hired a GM to help with NIL, recruiting, etc. However, if Fran McCaffery isn’t back for Iowa, McCollum might end up there instead. I’m also intrigued with Darian DeVries.
— Gordon Wade (@GDWadeIII) March 14, 2025
Indiana could lose a quality candidate here, so the Hoosiers better decide quickly what they want.
Hire Will Wade or Ben McCollum. Let’s win. #iubb
— Calvin James (@CalvinJ74) March 14, 2025
Well, at least we have options here.
With the Hoosiers waiting to see if they will make the NCAA Tournament, fans will still have to wait as well to see who the next head basketball coach will be.