BREAKING: National Analyst Turns Against Indiana’s $4.2M Commitment After Mike Woodson Made the Hoosiers a Big 10 Laughing Stock

Mike Woodson is in a slump, while the Indiana Hoosiers are still fighting to get back on track this season. After dropping four straight games, their latest loss came against No. 21 Wisconsin, 76-64. With Indiana struggling and expectations falling short, national analysts are now questioning whether the Hoosiers’ $4.2 million investment in Woodson has made them a Big Ten laughing stock.

The coach led the Hoosiers into the Badgers’ den, hoping to rewrite history. Indiana hadn’t won in Madison in 20 straight games—a streak so long that not a single player on the roster was even born the last time they did, however, things didn’t go Mike’s way, and with the team continuing to struggle, doubts about his future are only growing.

In the recent episode of The Field of 68: After Dark, National analyst, John Henson mentioned: “This is like the time where you start packing your stuff, you know you send stuff back to where you’re from and you blow up the air mattress and get ready when the ball in drops on know… I guess a Big 10 tournament… but when the ball is done and you play Ohio state, you pack it up and you head home. like that’s what looks like the wheels are falling off and if they don’t make some kind of push with pride it could maybe be Woodson’s last year as well.”

As of first week of February, Indiana sits at 11th in the conference with a 14-9 record and a disappointing 5-7 mark in Big Ten play. Their latest loss was their sixth in seven games. With postseason hopes fading, the pressure is mounting on Mike Woodson, and if Indiana doesn’t show signs of a turnaround soon, his tenure with the program could be in serious jeopardy.

“I’m not down on Indiana as a program, but right now it’s kind of like, in pros right, like you pay the wrong guys, and it just exacerbates everything.” John stated, “and it makes everything look worse, and unfortunately, that’s what happens. You can’t hit the swing and hit home runs every time, and that money has backfired on Indiana and they can’t be happy.” 

In August 2023, Woodson’s amended contract not only increased his salary but also reinforced his buyout protections. While Indiana’s commitment to him seemed justified at the time, the financial gamble has not paid off. Now, with the team struggling, that $4.2 million annual investment feels like a misstep—one that Indiana may soon regret.

Indiana’s fall from preseason hopes

Coach Mike Woodson started the season, believing he had his most talented roster in four years. Expectations were high, with Indiana picked to finish second in the Big Ten preseason poll and even earning seven first-place votes out of 33. But things haven’t gone as planned.

Woodson led the Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons, but now the team is in real danger of missing out for the second year in a row—something no one saw coming when the season began.

Now in his fourth season coaching his alma mater, Mike Woodson has a 77-48 overall record and a barely above .500 mark in Big Ten play at 36-35. Under his leadership, Indiana has finished ninth, tied for second, and tied for sixth in the conference standings. This year, they find themselves stuck in a three-way tie for ninth in the newly expanded 18-team Big Ten—a far cry from where they hoped to be.

With Indiana’s season slipping away and expectations fading, Mike Woodson’s future with the Hoosiers is in question. As postseason hopes dwindle, the team is at a crossroads, and it’s unclear if Woodson can turn things around.