When Selection Sunday comes later this week, we don’t know for sure what we can expect when it comes to Indiana. The Hoosiers looked lost at times earlier this season but a late push has them squarely on the bubble. Their loss in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday certainly didn’t help matters, though this late push has added to the excitement of a disappointing season.
That lame start to the year already led to major change in Bloomington, as head coach Mike Woodson announced earlier this year that he’d retire at season’s end. He’ll hope that he’s going out with a third trip to the Big Dance in four seasons, but either way has given the Hoosiers extended time for their next head coaching search. This allows Indiana’s brass to cast a wide net in looking for their next leader.
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…
Something that’s important to remember is that Indiana football made a home run hire less than a year ago resulting in the Hoosiers advancing into the College Football Playoff. They didn’t grab the flashiest name in the world, but Curt Cignetti had been a winner at several programs, including a few at the lower levels. In this same vain, Indiana should be keeping their options open at all levels of basketball.
With that in mind, Indiana’s interest in Ben McCollum makes even more sense. Much like Cignetti, McCollum cut his teeth in lower levels of collegiate athletics, though McCollum truly made a name for himself there. He spent fifteen seasons as head coach at Northwest Missouri State, turning that program into the dominant D2 team, winning four national championships in a seven year span.
The Hoosiers are obviously not considering hiring an active D2 head coach; McCollum has really increased his appeal with his work this season at Drake. In his first season at the D1 level, McCollum has led Drake to a 30-win season, another MVC Tournament title, and has those Bulldogs set to dance next week. He brought a handful of talented players from Northwest Missouri State and quickly built one of the best mid-major teams of the season.
With the Indiana job open again, we’ve already heard many names thrown around for the position including what would be a myriad of home-run hires. Indiana hasn’t exactly been a Blue Blood program in recent memory but they do have rich history and fantastic fan support, with NIL resources to contend in the near future in the Big Ten and at the national level.
Many of those names have already declined interest, but would a candidate like McCollum actually be a great move for the Hoosiers? McCollum is a proven winner, even if he’s never had to deal with the challenges or pressure of power conference D1 basketball. It’s a major jump in two years from D2 to MVC to Bloomington, but if he can get that program support and build a competent staff then perhaps he can turn things around for the Hoosiers.
After hiring the rising mid-major coach who couldn’t get Indiana to the dance, the Hoosiers tried the longtime NBA name who couldn’t build consistency. Is it time to think outside the box and bring a proven winner to Bloomington? Could McCollum, who’s still in his mid-40’s, become an iconic leader into the future for these Hoosiers or will he buckle under the pressure like recent Hoosiers coaches?