Tom Crean has gone to three Sweet 16s since 2012, but he also failed to make the NCAA tournament twice. This past season, one that began with so much promise after a neutral-site victory over Kansas and a home win against North Carolina, culminated with an 18-16 mark in a mediocre Big Ten.
After nine seasons, Crean is gone. He inherited a mess courtesy of Kelvin Sampson, and he will certainly leave the program in a far better state.
When Crean was hired, Indiana swung and missed on guys such as Tony Bennett and Mark Few. There's no reason to think either of them would take the job now, and the same is the case with Indiana native and Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. Sure, it's worth reaching out, but we know the outcome.
Job description
Indiana basketball. Crazed fans, no shortage of support and a chance to run Bloomington. It's not a top-five job, maybe not even a top-10 gig, but it's certainly in the next tier and is the best in the Big Ten.
Indiana has won five national titles and has been to eight Final Fours. This program -- and these fans -- don't want just Sweet 16 appearances; they want to be fighting for national championships.
Go after
Gregg Marshall, Wichita State: Despite the fact that Marshall might not get a huge bump in salary (he's currently making $3 million), this is one job that would have to intrigue him, and would likely make him leave the friendly confines of Wichita State and the Missouri Valley. He could be relevant all year in Bloomington and have a chance to go to the Final Four on a consistent basis.
Chris Mack, Xavier: He's a Midwest guy who has taken the Musketeers, his alma mater, to the NCAA tournament in seven of eight seasons. His personality would be a welcome sight in Bloomington, as would the fact that he has Travis Steele, who is extremely strong recruiting in the Midwest, on his staff.
Archie Miller, Dayton: He has been a hot name the past few years, since the Flyers made the Elite Eight in 2014. Miller, 38, has taken Dayton to the NCAA tournament in four consecutive seasons and was an assistant in the Big Ten at Ohio State.
Check on
Steve Alford, UCLA: He's a legend in Bloomington after he helped lead the Hoosiers to the national title as a player in 1987, but there are plenty of IU fans who would prefer to not try to bring him back. He has a hefty buyout at UCLA in excess of $7 million, but this could be a welcome move for all three parties: UCLA, Alford and Indiana.
Backups
Mick Cronin, Cincinnati: He has rebuilt Cincinnati into one of the most consistent programs in the country. The Bearcats are playing in their seventh consecutive NCAA tourney this year, and Cronin, a Cincinnati native, is the major reason for that. He would bring energy and passion to Bloomington, and he would almost certainly make the move if called.
Chris Holtmann, Butler: He has done a tremendous job right down the road under difficult circumstances. He took the job as the interim after Brandon Miller abruptly stepped away and has had the Bulldogs in the tournament in all three of his seasons at the helm.
Scott Drew, Baylor: Some might say this is crazy, but Drew is the polar opposite of Crean from a personality standpoint, and he has shown the ability to win with high-profile recruits at Baylor and also with guys most programs didn't want. He's also familiar with the area, having graduated from Butler. He was an assistant to his father, Homer, at Valparaiso for nearly a decade.
Wouldn't bother
Mike Woodson: He played at Indiana from 1976 to '80 and has plenty of head-coaching experience -- in the NBA, with the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks. But he has never coached in college, and at 58 years old, how much is he willing to grind on the recruiting trail? We aren't going anywhere near this one.
Randy Wittman: Here's another NBA guy who played at Indiana. Wittman was on the national title team in 1981 and has been a head coach in the league, namely: Cleveland, Minnesota and Washington. Like Woodson, he has never coached in the college ranks -- and like Woodson, he's in his late 50s.
Recommendation
It's a tough call between Mack and Miller, and Indiana die-hards should be happy with either.
Prediction
Alford. There's so much history between the two, and Alford has done a great job this season at UCLA. Remember, though, it was only a year ago that people were calling for his firing. This is a natural move.