I don't see him as a coach who will get Ohio State to an elite level but he's done a pretty solid job in the post-Mitchell era considering the rosters he's had. I actually think he's done a better job since Mitchell left than when she was there even if results aren't as good. Ohio State had a lot more talent during the Kelsey Mitchell era, but I'm guessing the program had major chemistry issues with her dad's influence being on the staff, and also McGuff being essentially forced to put Kelsey's sister on scholarship (who I'm not sure was even a D1 caliber player), plus trying to manage other high level players and keep everyone happy while making sure Kelsey Mitchell was the star of the show. Not a good recipe for good chemistry or team success, and we saw the fallout of that with disappointing NCAA tournament results year after year. His program went back to rebuilding mode after 2019 and McGuff has done a decent job the last few years and should be good this season, but they're definitely far behind Maryland and will have a hard time cracking the top 4 this year in a solid Big Ten.
You're 100% accurate that he's missed out on several big names....after looking it up, it's rather painful how much talent he's missed out on. Naz Hillmon, Kierstan Bell, Zia Cooke, Jordan Horston, Maddie Westbeld and Bree Hall are all in state kids who he wasn't able to land or keep. Plus another top 10 kid next year. That's a championship caliber roster of talent he's seen opt for different programs. On the basis of that alone I could see why fans want someone new to run the program--he couldn't deliver when he did have talent, and now he's having trouble landing talent.
Not sure he was truly forced...but I understand what you're saying. She wasn't and she didn't finish her career on the team.
From the many games I was at, the players who played with Mitchell the longest (Harper, Mavunga, Doss, Hart, Waterman) really seemed to enjoy her and playing with her. They were usually engaged from the bench too, minus Hart, but she's a bit more reserved anyway. So, I'm not sure chemistry was that big of an issue for that team. Many of them played AAU with her too. I think his best team was actually the 2015–2016 team with Craft and Alston there with their leadership and hustle. But that fizzled when Craft broke her hand (some hand injury) in practice before the Sweet Sixteen.
He has done alright for sure after losing his one All-American in 2018. But his inability to recruit and retain his players over the years is what led to a full rebuild (6 grad transfers in, after one class of zero recruits and two classes of 4 of 5 players transferring out, the fifth leaving the program in her senior season) Since he started at Ohio State, only 4 players that he has signed to a scholarship out of high school have played all four years and graduated (K. Mitchell, Doss, Hart, and Waterman [who did 5yrs]). There have been a few transfers in who have graduated and played two or more years for him (Cooper, Holland, Mavunga, Harper, and soon to Braxtin Miller.) Of the most recent recruiting classes, all of the 2018 class has left the program three for three, two of the five from the 2019 class have transferred, and the 2020 class is still in tact. I know it's the time of the transfer, but many of those transfers (outside Wone) were starters or key players.
When it comes to recruiting, the past two classes he has only be able to convince one top 100 player (McMahon, from Ohio) to come and play for Ohio State. The previous class, 2020, it depends on who you ask but only Poole was a top 100 across the board. So, hopefully he's gotten better at coaching up talent...In the 2021 and 2022 classes from Ohio, according to ESPN's list of top 100, he's missed out on 5 (2021) and originally 6 from 2022, but Emma Shumate has transferred in to Ohio State from West Virginia. Are they all going to be standouts where they go? No. But Ohio State didn't even make the final lists for many of those players during recruitment, Bransford, Van Slooten, Gray [was final five but cut to final two, and her older sister had one season overlap with McGuff at Xavier.], Oldacre. He also whiffed on all the Ohio talent in 2020. He has had a revolving door of Assistant Coaches as of late so that doesn't help with recruiting, but he's not really helping his future case.
At the games, the attendance has dwindled and the rumbles of people around the stands are wanting him out. However, even when Mitchell & Co. were there the stands had rumbles of disappointment in the playing style.
