UNC Basketball: 12 candidates to succeed Roy Williams as head coach

Chris Holtmann

For our next candidate, we turn our attention back towards a rising star in the coaching ranks and someone without any previous experience with the Tar Heels. While Holtmann has previously worked in the state of North Carolina as a head coach, it’s his recent successes that make him a great candidate for this job.

Holtmann was a relative unknown a decade ago but has risen quickly through the coaching ranks. A longtime former assistant, including under his former college teammate John Groce, he spent three years as head coach at Gardner-Webb (in North Carolina), and three years leading Butler to great things. Holtmann took over Ohio State in 2017 and has maintained the Buckeyes program as one of the best in the Big Ten, even exceeding expectations to this point.

North Carolina would be just another step up for Holtmann and would certainly be a place he could spend the rest of his career. After leading Butler to the Sweet Sixteen in 2017, he’s yet to have NCAA Tournament success with the Buckeyes; is that cause for concern? There’s a whole host of rising candidates who could be solid fits with the Tar Heels, but at least he has previous experience in the state, even if in the lowly Big South.