Pete Thamel lists four coaches who could fill Notre Dame opening
Since Mike Brey announced his intention to leave Notre Dame in January, various names have floated as his replacement. Our own Nick Shepkowski made his own list of candidates in the immediate aftermath of Brey’s announcement. While it’s nice to keep all options open, it appears the list is starting to narrow down. At least that’s what ESPN’s Pete Thamel said he believes during the most recent episode of College GameDay:
Here’s the latest from @collegegameday on the openings at Georgetown, St John’s and Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com/OrKkZLVUUD
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 11, 2023
For all we know, this list could be completely bogus with none of the four landing the job. But when you cover college basketball for a living, you’re bound to hear a few whispers about who the next coach might be. For argument’s sake, let’s pretend this list is legitimate and that the search indeed will come down to these four. Then, we can debate as to who would be the best candidate for the Irish for the long haul:
Micah Shrewsberry, Penn State
Mar 10, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Micah Shrewsberry gestures to his team during the first half at United Center. David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Shrewsberry appears to be the favorite to land the job for most people. Not only did his Nittany Lions miss a shocking Big Ten Tournament championship by the skin of their teeth, but he already has his stamp on the state of Indiana. The Indianapolis native had stints as assistant coach at Butler and Purdue, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. He also once was head coach at Indiana University South Bend, so his hiring would be a homecoming in more ways than one.
Chris Holtmann, Ohio State
Mar 11, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Chris Holtmann gestures during the first half at United Center. David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Like Shrewsberry, Holtmann also has made his mark in the Hoosier State, playing NAIA ball at Taylor and serving three seasons as the coach at Butler. He then made the jump to Ohio State, where he won Big Ten Coach of the Year in his first year and has remained consistent ever since. His streak of 20-win seasons just came to an end, and this year’s Buckeyes are NIT-bound, so maybe a change in scenery will do him some good.
Matt Langel, Colgate
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – MARCH 18: Head coach Matt Langel of the Colgate Raiders looks on against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first half during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Fiserv Forum on March 18, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Here’s a coach definitely ready to take the next step. Langel has 202 wins in 12 seasons with the Raiders, and the most recent of those have been incredibly kind to him. He’s led the Raiders to five straight Patriot League regular-season championships and four of the past five conference tournament championships. His 26 victories this past season are a career high.
Darian DeVries, Drake
Drake University men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries calls out to his players during first half action against Valparaiso at the Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa. on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022.
DeVries is another coach who appears to ready for the next challenge of his career. He just led the Bulldogs to their second NCAA Tournament in three years, and the five years in which he’s been in charge mark the only stretch in which the program has had five straight 20-win seasons. Having been an assistant under Greg McDermott at Creighton helps, too.
