Creighton coach Greg McDermott has been offered the head coaching job at Ohio State.
McDermott and Ohio State met Wednesday night, according a person with direct knowledge of the situation that requested anonymity because the offer has not yet been made public by the school. ESPN was the first to report the meeting and the offer.
The Buckeyes and Thad Matta parted ways earlier this week after 13 seasons. Matta’s teams reached two Final Fours and made the Sweet 16 five times. Ohio State went 17-15 last season and missed the NCAA tournament — capping off another underachieving season.
McDermott, 52, took Creighton to the NCAA tournament four times without advancement, including an upset loss to Rhode Island this past March. He helped the Bluejays make the transition from the Missouri Valley to the Big East, largely thanks to the All-American seasons of his son, Doug McDermott, who now plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. McDermott also previously coached at Iowa State and Northern Iowa.
The timing of Ohio State’s move meant a high-profile coaching vacancy at a rare time in the sport’s offseason. Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg told the Chicago Tribune he wasn’t interested in the position earlier this week.
