The sun has set on the Chris Holtman era at Ohio State.
With the Buckeyes announcing the firing of seventh-year head coach Chris Holtmann on Wednesday, Gene Smith addressed the media on his reasoning for the timing of the decision and what the ongoing hiring process will look like with incoming athletic director Ross Bjork.
- On the timing of the firing: "I just felt like, looking at the last few games, I felt like this team needed different leadership. So I made the change."
- When asked about the difficulty of the decision for him personally, Smith was at a loss for words for an extended period of time. Holtmann's character off the court made it especially difficult, he said.
- Smith didn't have an idea of a timeline for a new hiring after the season, saying it would be a better question for Bjork.
- On putting his emotions and connection with Holtmann aside to make this decision: "My responsibility is to the program. ... My responsibility is to the young people. ... This, for our community, was needed. It's about the program in the end. I have to set aside my personal feelings and just go with what's best for the program."
- The timing of Holtmann's firing came down to giving this year's team the best shot to win, Smith said. "The young men have played hard, they've given a lot. But the reality is, the body of work of this last year, they needed something different in terms of leadership. ... They still have six more games and a tournament, and I wanted to give them that shot."
- Smith won't be leading the search for Ohio State's next head coach but he will have input. "Yeah, but I'll be a part of it."
- On how much Bjork was involved in the decision to move on from Holtmann: "I talked to him a lot, but it was my decision. I told him what I was going to do."
- Smith said that he regrets giving Holtmann a contract extension two years ago. "Of course you do. I have many regrets in my lifetime. ... But certainly, that's one of them."
- The expectation at Ohio State, in every sport, is to compete at the highest level, Smith said. "Nothing's changed. All of our programs have the same standard. ... The standard for men's basketball is the same. Be in the hunt. Periodically win the (Big Ten) championship."
- Conversations about the firing and buy-out with new Ohio State president Ted Carter were easy, he said. "He's a decision-maker, which I like. He agreed and supported."
- While Smith disagreed that Ohio State's attendance has "died on the vine," he did say that Ohio State should be approaching a sellout in eight to 10 games a year and expectations have fallen off in that regard.
