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The Indiana Hoosiers have gone through a roller coaster week in Bloomington. After juggling the idea of moving on from head coach Mike Woodson, the program ultimately opted to retain him for at least a year more.
Often, recruiting can impact those decisions with a retention potentially keeping the most recent class from looking elsewhere. In the Hoosiers‘ case, though, it seems they’ve been hit twice.
Woodson had a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, going 17-13 and being passed over in the Big Ten by teams like Northwestern and Nebraska. Far from Bob Knight’s Indiana.
Despite having posted losing conference marks in two of his three seasons at the helm, the school opted to retain him.
While many might’ve been unhappy with the decision, at least fans could fall back on the idea of Woodson’s 2024 recruiting class staying intact.
And by class, we mean one player – 5-star forward Liam McNeeley.
Unfortunately, the Hoosiers got hit with the double whammy!
Liam McNeeley asked out of his NLI.
The decision came one day after Indiana decided to hold onto the coach that landed his commitment.
In past interviews, McNeeley’d been complimentary of his head coach, saying the following in a Q&A with IndyStar.
Q: Why Indiana?
A: Coach Woody was on me. He was always consistent… He’s an NBA-style coach, and that’s where I’m trying to goQ: Have you identified what your college role might be?
A: I’m going to try to be as versatile as I can. Coach Woody said he’s going to trust me with the ball, trust me to make plays, and he’s going to force me to guard.
Now, those word ring a bit hollow.
McNeeley picked the Hoosiers over suitors like Kansas and Texas. Those teams are certainly excited about a potential second opportunity to recruit.
As for Indiana, they’re now stuck with a coach on the chopping block and an empty 2024 class!