Wichita State Basketball: 5 potential candidates to replace Gregg Marshall

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Wichita State Basketball Thad Matta Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

Thad Matta

HC experience: Butler (2000-01; 24-8), Xavier (2001-04; 78-23), Ohio State (2004-17; 337-123)

How fitting would it be that the most ill-timed dismissal be resolved by the most unusual coaching hire? Thad Matta – the pseudo-retired, all-time wins leader in Ohio State history – fits the bill perfectly.

This, unbelievably, is not that far of a stretch, as it presently sounds. After Jeff Goodman broke the news of Marshall’s dismissal, Seth Davis reported that Wichita State had great interest in hiring Matta – and getting him started at the helm right away.

Those reports have already been shot down, and understandably so. Matta’s unexpected departure at Ohio State was largely brought on by grueling health issues with his back and feet. Mainly brought on by a back surgery performed in 2008, Matta coached through most of his Buckeye tenure (2004-2017) in unbearable pain.

Matta himself sounded pessimistic about ever returning to the sidelines, which makes the reports of his connection to this opening even more doubtful. However, for the sake of this – let’s get crazy and say he does have interest in the job, which could very well be possible.

This would be an incredible hire for Wichita State. In 17 seasons, Matta has amassed an absurd overall record of 439-154 during his tenures at Butler, Xavier, and Ohio State. He has qualified for 13 NCAA Tournaments in those 17 years, earning NIT berths in two of the remaining four – one of which produced an NIT championship.

His most notable seasons came in 2006-07 – when his Buckeyes went 35-4 and finished national runners-up to Florida – and 2011-12, when Ohio State narrowly lost to Kansas in the Final Four, finishing the year 31-8 behind the legendary core group of Jared Sullinger, Deshaun Thomas, William Buford, and Aaron Craft.

Matta is as respected of a coach as anyone – he has earned Coach of the Year honors five times across three different conferences – and that would be more than a breath of fresh air for Wichita State after dealing with Marshall.