The offseason in men’s college basketball leads directly into a significant coaching carousel, particularly heightened by recent NCAA tournament developments. On March 18, 2025, the Indiana Hoosiers announced Darian DeVries as their new head coach, igniting a wave of speculation in the coaching landscape across several programs. DeVries, previously with the Drake Bulldogs, concluded an impressive run, securing 20-plus wins in each of his six seasons and taking the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament three times.
This announcement leads to natural speculation around other coaching vacancies, particularly here in Indiana’s competitive collegiate sports scene. Ben McCollum, who has been highly successful at Northwest Missouri State, was also a name linked to the Hoosiers, raising questions about future coaching dynamics at Iowa—the next big job that needs filling.
With DeVries leaving, McCollum is now viewed as the leading contender for Iowa's head coaching position. Both are Iowa natives, and McCollum’s impressive Year 1 record of 30 wins at Northwest raises him as a prime candidate. Yet, the Iowa athletic department faces challenges securing necessary financial support. It has previously operated under below-average NIL conditions for basketball, compelling the new coach to compete for resources with high-profile sports like football and women’s basketball. Should financial offers fall short, insiders speculate other coaches in the mix might include Bradley's Brian Wardle and Utah State's Jerrod Calhoun.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers made headlines by parting ways with Ben Johnson just as their season concluded, with AD Mark Coyle navigating the NCAA tournament selection duties. The hot name to replace him is Colorado State's Niko Medved, a Minneapolis native and Minnesota graduate known for his success in taking the Rams to NCAA tournaments. However, the pressing question remains whether Medved will accept the role, given the Gophers’ struggling budget for player acquisition during Johnson's tenure.
Meanwhile, Villanova's recent firing of Kyle Neptune has sent shockwaves through the program. In light of their extraordinary past under coach Jay Wright, who led the team to national titles in 2016 and 2018, the Wildcats aim for a high-profile replacement. Speculation has arisen around Northwestern’s Chris Collins; while he denies any rumors about Indiana, experts believe he’ll be on Villanova's radar. John Fanta of Fox Sports noted on SiriusXM’s "The Zach Gelb Show," that he sees Collins as "a really good candidate" for the Villanova job, particularly given his success at Northwestern, marking their most winning three-year stretch in program history.
Fanta remarked, "That's a much better job to have than to be in the Neptune seat," emphasizing that expectations for the new coach may be less burdensome following Neptune’s rocky tenure. Collins has established himself with a 61-40 record during his recent seasons, solidifying his position as the second-winningest head coach in Northwestern history.
Meanwhile, NC State is eyeing potential candidates like former LSU head coach Will Wade, who remains a controversial figure due to historical pay-for-play scandals. Wade's history begins to loom large over the program's future, but he's expressed continued capability as a top recruiter. If the administrators opt against Wade, Tennessee assistant Justin Gainey could fill the role as well.
In West Virginia, the departure of DeVries now leaves the Mountaineers in search of their head coach for the third time in less than two years, devastating especially following their exclusion from the NCAA tournament. Athletic director Wren Baker is already back at work, looking at potential candidates, which may include Medved and Calhoun—yet the challenge remains significant due to the lure of Medved returning to his hometown.
Looking at Texas Longhorns, Rodney Terry's seat remains somewhat warm following a less-than-stellar season. Despite hearing their name called on Selection Sunday, many suspect AD Chris Del Conte is mulling over future changes, particularly if the NCAA tournament doesn’t provide favorable outcomes. Terry’s buyout is relatively manageable at just over $5 million, making it an interesting scenario for Texas if they decide to pursue bigger names.
Similarly, UCF Knights have struggled, finishing with a record of 17-16 for two consecutive seasons, failing to reach the NCAA tournament since 2019. Johnny Dawkins will face tough scrutiny, and should UCF pursue a change, they might look to bring in New Mexico's Richard Pitino, who is actively vying for jobs this cycle.
Turning to mid-major coaching changes, Iona is reportedly set to hire New Orleans Pelicans assistant Dan Geriot after their recent firing of Tobin Anderson. Geriot, despite limited experience, could be significantly armed with resources for recruiting. As well as Columbia's coaching search focuses on Florida assistant Kevin Hovde, who previously assisted under Kyle Smith at Columbia.
On the other side, South Florida stands out as a notable destination for non-power jobs, with names like UNCW head coach Takayo Siddle mentioned, although he may hesitate to settle in this cycle so soon. UNLV’s search is still unfolding but intends to approach several sitting head coaches.
The ongoing transformations across these dynamic coaching scenarios depict a robust cycle—a pivotal point for recruitment, strategizing, and adjusting power balances among these storied collegiate programs as they seek excellence heading into the next college basketball season. The implications of these decisions will undoubtedly shape the landscape of college basketball for years to come.
