This offseason, Chris Holtmann faces a challenge he’s never had to overcome at Ohio State.
If you include the canceled 2020 NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes went dancing in each of Holtmann’s first five seasons at the helm of the program, which makes 2023 the first year Ohio State hasn’t participated in March Madness since the Thad Matta era.
Now the pressure is on. Holtmann and company must return to the promised land in 2023-24 or risk being subjected to an overwhelming outcry from fans who were already deeply displeased with this past season’s performance.
Since there’s no historical basis for how a Holtmann team bounces back from missing the tournament, even dating back to his three years at Butler, we’re taking a look back at how Ohio State has fared in similar situations under its past five head coaches.