Even with a MAC title, I’d make the argument that Groce would be a better hire for OSU at this stage. Both he and Boals essentially the same type of hire, but Groce overall as a far better resume to date.

However, OSU may look at both as too similar to Holtmann and decide to move on from the Matta tree entirely.

That would be my guess. I think they'll open up the piggy bank and try to lure someone like Johne Calipari, Kelvin Sampson, or Nate Oats. If "monwy talks," as so man on this board believe, those hires are in reach at the Evli Empire in Cowtown.

I could not disagree more that OSU would prefer Groce. Their resumes are NOT similar. Or I'll say, if we had a solid March run this year, Boals 2023 would be Groce 2012. Groce to OSU would be seen as "already failed miserably in the Big Ten" and be a very tough sell. Boals could be sold as more of an up and comer.

You’re right that they’re not similar. Groce is far more accomplished at this point than Boals and they’re 1 year apart in age. So, I’m not sure you could sell Boals as more of an up a comer to OSU’s fan base. If I recall, even Butler fans weren’t exactly enamored at the idea of Boals last year.

It would legit take a Sweet 16 run this season (not happening, I’ll gladly eat my words) for Boals to be even within striking distance of consideration for OSU. I’m an huge fan of Boals; but with each passing year, it becomes less likely that a P5 job (that makes sense) comes calling barring a 2012 run. His resume just isn’t there IMO.

All said, I think OSU goes in a different direction than both Groce and Boals.

After the joy of Groce Watch in 2012, I'll never again worry about this stuff. Ain't nuthin' I can do about it, so I'm only doing myself bad if I let stuff outside my control get my sphincter puckered.

Ohio State is a weird gig. With their pocketbooks and ambitions, they should regularly be a strong team, right? But sustained success hasn't borne out in decades.

I think Boals would have to make a run to the sweet 16 for Ohio State to come into play.

I agree with both of these sentiments.

On point #1, we have a large number of BAers who worry about that stuff constantly. Look at the number of posts we have about how we are likely to lose one of our coaches if X, Y, or Z happens. The most classic of which was the "fire TA threads" in 2021 on the football forum that transformed a year later into we are going to lose TA to a P5 program, so woe is us. [To be honest, I was one of the ignorant "Fire TA" crew during the 2021 campaign. I never joined the woe is us, he'll-leave-at-the-first-P5-offer crowd.]

On point #2, they've never quite gotten over the time when they were destined to win the national championship, only to have that upstart school from SW Ohio beat them two straight years -- 1961 & '62 in the championship game. How could a team with such super stars as Jerry Lucas and Bill Havlicek (Don't forget bench warmer Bobby Knight) ever lose to the Bearcats? The shame of it all. One prominent Ohio poltican, I forget the details, purportedly lost votes in the next election by saying halfway through the season in 1961 that everybody in Ohio is rooting for the Buckeyes to repeat as national champtions, forgetting in his euphoria that Cincinnati was located in Ohio and had been rising up in recent weeks in the polls. Ohio State fans be they politicans or Walmart alumni are very tunnel visioned and expect their team to excel every year in every sport or "know the reason why." In their eyes every Ohioan should realize that OSU is the pride of the Buckeye State and the central focus of all sports fans in the state. This myopia does, indeed, make coaching there a "weird gig."

While I agree that, on paper, this year doesn't jump out anyone for Ohio Basketball, I hope we can appreciate the coaching job Boals has done this year. We lose Sears and BVP to top-10 Power 5 programs. The roster was gutted. We're relying on Dwight's reconstructed knee and a mashup of freshmen and mostly transfers with some spotty contributions from program "lifers." I know we aren't at the top of the MAC and I don't expect a tourney title in Cleveland...but I do think Boals has done a really good job with this team this year.

This.

Correct.

BWHAHAA yep. It’s an experience to walk around Columbus after Mich beat them at the Shoe this year.

Has Boals done enough as a head coach to would warrant being considered for a potential opening at Ohio State? No.

Boals chance to get a big job has, at the current time, passed. The opportunity was right after that win over UVA.

Not really. I just think that his stock was at its highest, so far, after that season. Since that time, they've not done nearly enough to be considered for that level of job.