Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson on job status: 'I feel good in my skin'
MINNEAPOLIS — Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson didn't want to speak about his future just hours after sources within the athletic department confirmed he would return for the 2024-25 season.
There was rampant speculation about Woodson's job status after the team lost seven of 10 games that included two lopsided losses to Big Ten regular-season champion Purdue and three other double-digit losses.
Indiana improved to 17-13 (9-10 Big Ten) with a 70-58 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night. The Hoosiers have won three straight games — tied for its second longest win streak of the season — and significantly improved their chances of avoiding one of the bottom seeds in the Big Ten tournament next week.
The IndyStar first reported the news just hours about Woodson returning before the game against the Gophers tipped off on Wednesday night, but Woodson wouldn't even let a reporter get through an initial question about the topic before forcefully cutting him off.
"I'm not going to discuss my … I shouldn't have to sit here in front of you guys and discuss my job," Woodson said. "No comment."
He repeated a similar response when asked if he's felt supported by the administration through the team's struggles this season.
"I'm not discussing with you guys my job," Woodson said. "I shouldn't have to do that. I feel good in my skin in terms of my job."
Woodson is 61-39 in three seasons and taken the team to two straight NCAA tournament appearances. He signed a contract amendment last year that raised his salary from $3 million to $4.2 million. The amendment didn't extend the length of the original six-year deal he signed, but it added buyout protections that would allow the school to pay out $1 million annual payments.
The only time Woodson has addressed his future this season came when he was asked during a virtual press conference how long he wanted to coach with him turning 66 years old in March.
"I came back to put this team in the best position possible, and I'm going to continue to do that," Woodson said. "I'm almost 66, but I feel good. I still move around and I still think well, in terms of the game and I still think I can teach the game.
"There are coaches coaching into their 70s, I don't know if that's something I'll do, but at this point I'll take it a day at a time, or year at a time, but I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, guys. I'm just not. I'm going to continue to build this team and try to put this team in the best position possible and see where it leads us."
Indiana closes out the regular season with a game against Michigan State on Sunday at Assembly Hall.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson cuts off questions on job status
