T.J. Otzelberger stays dedicated to Iowa State Cyclones

[ad_1] Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger goes to be a reputation ot watch shifting ahead on the teaching carousel.

Otzelberger, 48, is among the finest coaches within the nation. He is led Iowa State to the NCAA Match in every of his 5 seasons as head coach, and he at present has the No. 2-seeded Cyclones in a matchup with No. 6 Tennessee within the Candy 16.

With jobs opening up throughout school basketball, together with a big-time one with the North Carolina Tar Heels, Otzelberger took a second to deal with any hyperlinks between him and different colleges.

We have heard this earlier than, after all, however mainly, he isn't planning on leaving Ames, Iowa.

"As we transfer ahead collectively, the alignment on our campus with [university president David] Prepare dinner, [athletic director] Jamie Pollard is wonderful, and we're thrilled and enthusiastic about our future collectively," Otzelberger mentioned on the crew resort on Wednesday, in response to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. "There isn't any questions on it, there's nothing to speak about, there's nothing else to reply. That is the reality."

Iowa State has to really feel nice about retaining T.J. Otzelberger long-term Otzelberger is 124-52 at Iowa State, and he is now taken the Cyclones to a 3rd Candy 16.

ISU gave him a contract extension in December of 2024 that may hold him locked in by way of the 2031-32 season at $4 million a yr.

There's additionally a $4 million buyout, however that quantity is peanuts for a program like UNC. The Kansas Jayhawks may be on the lookout for a brand new head coach as effectively, ought to longtime head coach Invoice Self determine to retire.

In the end, although, it does not sound like Otzelberger is fascinated by shifting. A giant-time contract might change that, because it normally does, however proper now he is locked in with the Cyclones.

Excited for Cyclone Nation that TJ isn't going anyplace — he shall be our basketball coach for a very long time!" ISU athletic director Jamie Pollard wrote on X.