Mike Woodson sees no way out as he falls short yet again. The Indiana Hoosiers have been playing some not-so-noteworthy basketball over the past few weeks, seeking redemption in every matchup but only finding defeat. Losing is the only thing they seem to face, and troubles continue to mount for Woodson. With what could be his final season for the Hoosiers, rumors are gaining momentum—especially after Michigan’s head coach just added more fuel to the fire.

The Indiana Hoosiers faced off against Dusty May’s No. 24 Michigan Werewolves on their home court, with the visitors prepared to take on a roaring Hoosier crowd. However, the aftermath left the arena in stunned silence. The Werewolves pulled off a 70-67 upset, handing Indiana its fifth consecutive loss and pushing Woodson’s job further into jeopardy.

Dusty May gave an interesting response during his post-match press conference when asked if he had a message for Wolverines fans concerned about him leaving after just one season. “There’s nothing I can say that’s going to sway this one way or the other,” May said. “I love being at Michigan, and that hasn’t crossed my mind, other than what friends and family have said. To be honest, I’ve eliminated all of that.”

While May didn’t directly address leaving, he also didn’t commit to staying. Meanwhile, Indiana’s program has confirmed that Mike Woodson won’t be returning for the 2025-26 season, which can only mean one thing—a replacement is being sought, and May’s statement only adds to the uncertainty, prompting reactions from analysts.

On the recent episode of ‘The Field of 68: After Dark,’ Jeff Goodman stated in a humorous reaction “Actually, Dusty, there is something you could say one way or the other, you could say, “I’m definitely staying at Michigan,” and he did not say that. But he’s smart. I wouldn’t say it either, even if I was gonna stay at Michigan. He got a sh-tty contract a year ago—if you remember, Andy Miller, his agent, doesn’t rep a lot of college basketball agents, so he didn’t know what the hell he was doing, and he signed a five-year deal instead of a six-year deal. Everybody signs six-year deals.”

Dusty May signed a five-year deal with the University of Michigan on March 23, 2024. Before that, he spent six seasons as the head coach at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) from 2018 to 2024.

His contract runs from March 2024 to April 2029, with a starting base salary of $3.625 million for the 2024-25 season. Each year, his salary increases by $100,000 for the duration of the deal. With coaching moves and contract details in the spotlight, all eyes now turn to Indiana’s uncertain future.

Is This the End for Mike Woodson?

Indiana is on track to miss the NCAA tournament for the second straight year, struggling through a rough stretch with seven losses in its last eight games. On Saturday, Woodson and the Hoosiers took another hit, falling to Michigan.

If Woodson is fired at the end of the season, he’ll be owed an $8.4 million buyout under his current contract. However, the school has the option to spread out the payments, paying $1 million per year to ease the financial burden.

The Hoosiers entered the season ranked No. 18 after bringing in one of the top transfer portal classes in the country, but so far, those reinforcements haven’t been delivered. With Indiana’s ongoing struggles, change felt inevitable—especially for a blue-blood program. While it’s unclear whether the decision was mutual or solely Woodson’s, he is expected to finish out the season but won’t return next year.

Indiana now holds a 14-10 record, with a 5-8 mark in Big Ten play. Over four seasons, Woodson has led the Hoosiers to a 77-50 overall record, including a 1-2 showing in the NCAA tournament.

With Woodson’s exit now inevitable, speculation over his successor is heating up. Dusty May’s carefully worded response has only added to the uncertainty, leaving fans and analysts wondering what’s next for Indiana. As the season winds down, all eyes remain on Bloomington, waiting to see who will lead the Hoosiers into a new era.