Columbus, Ohio - It was only a matter of time before Ohio State basketball moved on from head coach Chris Holtmann. And as buzz over his firing ramp up, there are already predictions for his replacement.

When Holtmann first arrived in Columbus in 2017, there was a sense of optimism that Buckeyes hoops were poised for success.

He led the team to the second round of the NCAA tournament in his debut season, a feat he repeated twice more.

Yet Holtmann's success was overshadowed by his struggles in the NCAA Tournament, and eventually, in conference play.

Despite earning a trip to the Big Ten Conference game and securing a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, the Buckeyes were knocked out in the first round.

Last year, Holtmann faced criticism after leading the team to a losing season. Now, with a 14-11 overall record and 4-10 in Big Ten play this season, Holtmann has been ousted.

Ohio State officially announced it had "terminated" the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year, "effective immediately."

"Jake Diebler, associate head coach of the men's basketball team, will serve as the team's interim head coach for the remainder of the season," they said.

Since the announcement of Buckeyes head coach Chris Holtmann's firing, several names started trending online as possible replacements. Among them are Sean Miller, Lamont Paris, and Greg McDermott.

Current Xavier coach Miller would be the top in-state option for the Buckeyes.

Paris, an Ohio native, might be a long shot for Ohio State, but him filling the role is a possibility. In just two seasons, the South Carolina head coach transformed the Gamecocks from an 11-21 losing season to a current 21-3 record in the SEC, making him an intriguing candidate.

McDermott is perhaps the most popular name linked to step in for the Buckeyes. He turned down an offer to become head coach at Ohio State just before Holtmann was eventually hired, but has since led Creighton to the Elite Eight and a Big East regular-season championship in 2020.

While many names have been tossed around, Ohio State said "a search for the program's next head coach will commence at the end of this season," meaning they may not have started looking just yeat.

With their current record, Ohio State basketball won't be qualifying for March Madness this season, which adds an interesting twist to the timeline of their head coaching vacancy.