Chris Beard or Chris Holtmann National Coach of the Year: An Unbiased Analysis

As I prance through this world viewing everything in my scarlet covered glasses, every once in a while I decide to peel off those glasses and look at things objectively. Next time that happens, I’ll let you know.

A month or so ago, I proclaimed Chris Holtmann the National Coach of the Year. Since then, his team has knocked off number 3 Purdue while taking sole possession of first place in the Big Ten. I don’t need stupid, inconsequential things like results to impair my worldview, but sometimes those things actually validate what I have been saying all along, or at least since Ohio State looked like a lock to make the NCAA tournament.

Even though I came into this thing 100% convinced Chris Holtmann is the COY, I decided to eyeball some other candidates. LaVar Ball withdrew his kids from school and sent them to get paid, so I was leaning toward him as the second place guy, until I realized he isn’t actually a college coach. So I decided to look elsewhere, and I landed in the Big 12, even though Creighton assured me that his people would finish them off in short order. (In all seriousness, click that link. The best OTE article ever!)

Mr. Chris Beard, this is your life! Or more accurately the job you have done this season while coaching the Texas Tech Raiders.

Currently you are ranked number 7 in the country, which is higher than the Buckeyes. Touche’

Your team has only lost 4 games compared to 5 for the Buckeyes. Well done!

Your team knocked off number 2 WVU and also beat a top 10 Kansas team in Allen Fieldhouse. On other blogs, this might be game, set, and match. But this isn’t any blog.

Let me reach and tell you the definitive reason why Holtmann is the coach of the year. He has more wins, with 20. He didn’t get to coach this team last season, unlike Beard who had 2 years to cultivate the Raiders, and because this is a B1G blog and I am the Buckeye beat “writer”.

Truth is, both coaches have done a fantastic job and I would be 100% ok with both getting a participation trophy the end of the season, which any individual award basically is.

Since I have to pick one guy, I am going to pick my guy. I expect you to pick your guy. That’s how this works.