Huge name emerges in Notre Dame coaching search

With Notre Dame officially being eliminated from postseason play earlier this week, the Fighting Irish have already begun conducting a national coaching search for its next head coach. After 23 seasons in South Bend, Mike Brey has stepped aside and will be pursuing other opportunities after initially announcing his intentions to retire.

During an appearance on ESPN College GameDay senior writer Pete Thamel revealed some of the top candidates for the head coaching vacancy in South Bend.

“As for Notre Dame, don’t expect the Irish to make a hire soon,” Thamel said Saturday. “They have to wait out some targets that are going to be playing in the NCAA tournament, those include Penn State’s Micah Shrewsberry and Colgate’s Matt Langel. Shrewsberry’s an Indiana native, he was actually the head coach at [Indiana University] South Bend in 2000. Other names to look at here: Ohio State’s Chris Holtmann, Langel of Colgate — the Patriot League champs — and Drake’s Darian DeVries.”

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

Holtmann’s name being floated as a potential Brey replacement doesn’t come as a surprise, as it’s no secret this has been a rough season for Ohio State. Despite a disappointing season that has the Buckeyes in next-to-last in the Big Ten with a 5-15 record in conference play, based on recent comments, there’s reason to believe that Holtmann may be back in Columbus next year.

After beginning the Big Ten tournament as a No. 13 seed, Ohio State is two wins away from doing the improbable and stunning the rest of the field to acquire an NCAA tournament bid with a 16-18 record. We’ll have to see if Notre Dame pursues Holtmann or if this year’s conference tournament run will have him back in Columbus next season.

[Pete Thamel]